AN intrepid Worcester oarsman is putting his life on the line by rowing the Atlantic - three years after disaster struck in the middle of the ocean.

Richard Wood is picking up his oars again to raise funds for Worcester's St Richard's Hospice, and wants Faithful City folk to name the boat he'll call home for 3,000 miles.

The senior youth worker was thwarted in 2001 after losing his rowing partner through injury scalding his hand in a cooking accident.

The brave father-of-three's glass fibre vessel is expected to be prepared by next month ready for the start of the Ocean Rowing Society Atlantic Rowing 2004 event in the Canary Islands on Tuesday, January 20.

"We're hoping to raise a substantial amount for the hospice, but the main problem is to finding businesses to sponsor us," Richard told the Evening News.

"We're also hoping supermarkets may come onboard to help us with food supplies."

The race is timed to avoid the hurricane season, with the current record for the 3,000-mile crossing being 41 days.

He aims to finish make landfall in Barbados within two-months and complete a feat achieved by fewer people than have scaled Mount Everest.

The competition prize-winner will have their chosen name on the rowing boat and an invitation to the rowing ceremony.

Names and hospice donations must be made by Friday, August 22, and can be made by calling the hotline number on 01905 727444.