A CREW of gymgoers and staff will row from London to Paris – using the same boat comedian John Bishop used for his Sport Relief mission.

The team from Oakhill Academy Gym in Whalley, is raising money for soldiers’ charity Help For Heroes by undertaking a gruelling six-day, non-stop 500-mile challenge beginning in Westminster and finishing by the Eiffel Tower.

Fitness enthusiasts Suzanne Liddle, Alex Watson and Alex Trickett from Whalley will join rowing coach Eric Kent from Clitheroe, gym manager Phil Moss and personal trainer Mickii Edwards from Preston.

And although the journey doesn't take place until May next year, the hard work – and the fundraising – is already underway.

All six members of the crew will be taking part in a fashion show organised by Rawtenstall company Sunday Best at Oakhill Acadamy, Wiswell Lane in Whalley tomorrow.

Alex Trickett said the task ahead was mentally and physically daunting. They will set off from Westminster Bridge on the Thames, before heading out of the Thames Estuary, across the English Channel and through an inlet to Paris along the Seine.

He said: “We didn’t want to just row the Channel or do something that could be done in a day, we wanted a more extreme challenge.”

“Essentially we’re a team of amateurs because Eric is the only one with any real rowing experience. The rest of us are starting from scratch.

“Once we’re in peak physical condition we’ll be going down to Portsmouth in September to do some work on the water.”

Mike Gilbert, the head of Langstone Adventure Rowing in Portsmouth, will train the team and provide them with the boat used by John Bishop, Davina McCall, Denise Lewis and Andrew Flintoff for Sport Relief in February, when they rowed the Channel.

Tickets for the fashion show cost £15 from 01254 824333.