A FUNDRAISING adventurer new to rowing hopes to break an Atlantic record later this year.

James Nettleton, of Newington, near Wallingford, then plans a top-of-the-world climb of Mount Everest to follow up.

And 27-year-old Mr Nettleton hopes the remarkable double-header will raise thousands of pounds for Oxford Radcliffe Hospitals Trust in response to the care shown his mother in Oxford hospitals when she suffered from cancer and treatment he himself received for a tropical fever and numerous broken bones.

Mr Nettleton, 27, will spend the next few months learning how to row at Wallingford Rowing Club as he prepares for the Atlantic Ocean rowing record attempt in December.

He will be in a crew of ten, led by Ian Couch, one of the top ocean rowers in the world, bidding to row east to west across the Atlantic and beat the record set by another British crew of 33 days seven hours and 30 minutes. He said: “The only time I’ve rowed was about eight months ago when I sat in a ‘tank’, a stationary scull boat, in the middle of a swimming pool.

“For me, it’s more about it being an expedition than a race.”

He said: ”I am raising money for the new Oxford Cancer Centre.

“My mother lost her battle with cancer when I was 21 and she had many visits to the Churchill and the John Radcliffe during the time she was fighting, where the nurses were exceptional and very sensitive to her needs.

“I have also had many visits to the John Radcliffe Hospital.

“I started racing motocross at the age of 12 and got to a stage I was almost on first name terms with most of the nurses.

“After coming back from working as a game ranger in Africa, I became very ill at home, and I was rushed to hospital “I slipped into ‘a coma-like state’ and was diagnosed with malaria.

“But they looked after me very well.”

Mr Nettleton said his past exploits had included running 220 miles across England in ten days when he was 16, climbing the two highest mountains in North and South America, and also 26,000ft Mount Shishapangma in south-central Tibet.

He added: “I do have a habit of getting myself caught in accidents. I am currently sporting eight stitches in my butt after being caught in a rock fall climbing down Mont Blanc.”

Mr Nettleton said he hoped sponsors would step forward to back the rowing team before they launch their record attempt on December 6. Anyone wishing to sponsor him can contact him by email at jamesnettleton@hotmail.com