DUDLEY Rowing Club are going the extra mile – or 3,000 – to help sufferers of rape.

A number of club members are planning to row 4,828,032 metres, the equivalent to 3,000 miles, to raise money for the national Rape Crisis charity.

The ‘row-a-thon’ is being carried out in support of club member Lee Felton who, along with his Square One Atlantic teammate Sean Lannon, aims to row across the Atlantic Ocean in December in aid of both Rape Crisis and human trafficking charity Sport for Freedom.

Rape Crisis promotes the needs and rights of women and girls who have experienced sexual violence, and works to improve services for them and towards the elimination of sexual violence.

Dudley Rowing Club, based at Netherton Reservoir, will set up a number of static rowing machines from Sunday November 29, culminating in a whole days rowing and party on the evening of Saturday December 5.

Tina Boothroyd, club chairman, said: “We hope to raise at least £1,000 for Rape Crisis and to do this we need members of the public to join us and take part.

“We will have satellite rowing groups, disabled groups and friends of the club rowing too. Everyone will be collecting sponsors for the collection to achieve this mammoth target.

“it doesn’t matter how fit you are, if you can only row a few metres they will all help us reach the goal of 4,828,032 metres – which is what Lee and Sean will be rowing to get across the Atlantic.

“Anyone who comes to row on the Saturday will get free food for taking part, before we have the final metres rowed at the party in the evening.”

Rowing machines will be out at the club on November 29 between noon and 4pm, December 1 between 6pm and 8pm, December 3 between 10am and 8pm and December 5 from 10am.

Lee said: “Dudley Rowing Club have given us so much support, even being brilliant enough to give us a base and somewhere to keep the boat.

"I urge as many people as possible to come along and take part in the row-a-thon to help us raise even more money for Rape Crisis.”

To help the rowing club complete the challenge, members of the public can take part by calling Tina Boothroyd on 01384 569505.