WHEN Richard Wood and Rob Ringer announced that they planned to row across the Atlantic to raise money for St RIchard's Hospice, some may have called them foolhardy.

After all, neither of them had rowed before and they were going to have to cover 2,900 nautical miles between Tenerife and the West Indies before their feet touched terra firma again.

But, to us, their adventure was not at all harebrained. It was a demonstration of true British pluck, a quality missing from so much of life today. It was, if you like, a throwback to the days when Livingstone strode through Africa, Scott took on the Antarctic, John Hunt led the assault on Everest, or Francis Chichester sailed single-handed around the globe.

We hoped that, with intelligent preparation, much perspiration, effective teamwork, intestinal fortitude and - crucially - good fortune, they would achieve their aim.

But, as we report on Page 1, their luck ran out just days into the epic journey.

It took great courage for them to climb into their self-made boat, The Spirit of Worcestershire, and set off in the first place. Today, we'd ask readers to reflect on the courage which it took for Rob to admit that, after the technical glitches, enough was enough.

As Teresa Evans, the Atlantic Rowing Challenge project manager, says: "All credit to him for giving it his best shot."

Now Richard faces rowing the 24ft boat across the wide ocean on his own.

If he succeeds, and according to Teresa Evans there's no reason why he shouldn't, he deserves a hero's welcome when he steps ashore at Port St Charles in Barbados.