A GRUELLING 90km sponsored paddle around the Isle of Wight has raised £260 for Dorset & Somerset Air Ambulance.

Chloe Bunnett, 32, of Banks Road, Sandbanks, Peter Molnar, 30, from Horsham Avenue, Kinson, and Ivan Lawler, 43, from Surrey, set off in their surf skis at around 8.30am from East Cowes on the island and paddled for almost eight hours.

During the paddle the trio passed Yarmouth and the Needles stopping off halfway for drinks and chocolate before finishing back at East Cowes.

Video by Michael Dias

Chloe presented the money to Tracy Bartram, spokesperson for Dorset & Somerset Air Ambulance at their ‘Freebies for a donation’ stall at the Bournemouth Air Festival yesterday (19).

Chloe, who like Ivan, has competed for Great Britain in Surf Ski Ocean Racing World Cup events, said they had never attempted that kind of distance before in a Surf Ski.

She added that the most difficult point was “when it got to about 10km from the end just past Ryde and we had the wind against us”.

She said: “Afterwards we were absolutely shattered but so relieved that we had all made it.”

Tracy Bartram joked: “People do different types of fundraising for Dorset & Somerset Air Ambulance but canoeing 90km is a little bit extreme. Raising the £260 was amazing. We need to raise £3,800 a day to keep flying so it will go towards funding that.”