YOUNG rowers have raised almost £1,500 for a cancer charity after one of their school friends was diagnosed with leukemia.

No fewer than 52 members of Hexham’s Queen Elizabeth High School Rowing Club paddled continuously for four hours, at Tyne Green, on Saturday. They rowed a total of 371 miles using 17 boats, ranging from a single scull to an octo sculling boat.

The row, in aid of the charity CLIC Sargent, came after Queen Elizabeth High School pupil Sorley Mosedale (15) was diagnosed with leukaemia.

School friends Will Dyer and Abi Cowley, who are both members of the QEHS rowing club, enlisted the support of other members for the challenge, which also included a sale of donated cakes to raise vital funds.

QEHS rowing coordinator Pauline Higgins said: “All the coaches and parent helpers are extremely proud of the support the rowers wanted to give one of their school friends at this difficult time.”

The crew which rowed the greatest distance was the coxless quad of Dan Jones, Tom Archer, Tom Smith and Abe Parkin, who covered 31 miles. The all-girl coxed quad of Grace Wilson, Abi Cowley, Rebecca Read, and Jessie Stith, coxed by Lucy Stith, covered 25 miles. The double scull of Ellen Stith and Liv Holtham, covered 22 miles, while Year 10 pupil Lewis Blair covered 26 miles in a single scull.

Last week, the Courant reported how Sorley’s brother Malin (12), and his friends, raised £1,500 for the Teenage Cancer Trust with a cricket fund-raiser at Corbridge Middle School. To donate to the cause in aid of CLIC Sargent, visit www.justgiving.com/fundraising/rowforcancer.