A ROYAL Marine from West Devon and his three crew mates, who are all amputees, are this week nearing half way to completing an epic row across the Atlantic Ocean.

Colour Sergeant Lee Spencer, aged 46, from Horrabridge, is one of four military servicemen in the Row2Recovery team taking on the world’s toughest rowing race, the Talisker Whisky Atlantic Challenge. It started on December 20 from the Canary Islands and ends in Antigua in the West Indies. The challenge is more than 3,000 miles long and should take around 40 to 50 days to complete.

Lee is joined by Nigel Rogoff, Paddy Gallagher and skipper Cayle Royce.

Lee lost his right leg in January 2014 after he was hit by flying debris when he stopped to help the victims of an accident on the M3. As he aided those involved in the first accident, a second car smashed into the crashed BMW. The BMW’s engine was ripped out and flew across the carriageway, hitting Lee and knocking him over the crash barrier on to the grass verge.

His life was saved by Rastafarian Frank Sabindi, who was driving by with his daughter Zanele. Quick thinking Frank tied a tourniquet around Lee’s leg while Zenele stood on his femoral artery, and saved his life. Since that incident a friend gave Lee a little Rastafarian doll, which he has taken with him in the row boat as a talisman!

Frank is backing Lee all the way.

In a facebook message to the rower he said: ‘I’m glad that me and my daughter were there to help. I now realise that from that day (January 5, 2014) not only did I gain a friend, I gained a brother and a family. From all of us Lee, we say. Go Lee Go Lee Go Lee we are proud of you man. We love you man.’

Twenty nine crews have entered but the other 28 crews are all able bodied. At the half stage the all amputee team are a superb ninth out of the 26 boats still in the challenge.

Competitors burn around 8,000 calories a day and lose roughly 20% of their body weight during the race. Lee has also faced tropical storms, huge waves, sleep deprivation and sweltering heat.

The team are doing the challenge to raise money for Help for Heroes, Blesma, Prince Harry’s Endeavour Fund and Row2Recovery.

To find out more about the challenge visit www.row2recovery.com

To support Lee’s cause and donate visit uk.virginmoneygiving.com/fund/Row2Recovery