STUDENTS at Durham University have completed a 24-hour rowing challenge to raise £1,000 to help them buy new sporting equipment for their club.

Members of the Josephine Butler College Boat Club put their training and dedication to the sport to good use in the city centre on Saturday.

The students covered 640km, the distance from House of Parliament, in London, to the European Parliament, in Brussels, to commemorate the relationship between the European Union and the UK after Brexit.

Students used indoor rowing machines trying to overcome their personal limits and beat their personal bests, while rowing consecutively for 24-hours.

Club spokesman Janet Hall said: “This fundraiser comes at an urgent time of need for the boat club, as we are looking to purchase a new set of blades.

“Much of our current stock are wooden blades, and over the next year we seek to increase our exposure at races which is rather impractical with wooden blades.

“With a growing club and the newly addition of our boat, Tea-and-Toast, our boat club is in the desperate need for a new set of eight blades.

“Therefore, our target sum of £1,700 will help us purchase these blades and allow for increased progress, performance and results of the club.”