Hereford oarsman Jamie Coombes has made a good start to the winter "head" race season.

These timed endurance races see crews of different sizes and categories all racing together and test the fitness of the crews in sometimes gruelling conditions.

Coombes, representing Hereford along with his team mates Tom Penny, Alex Butler and Louis Paterson from Monmouth, competed in the Boston Rowing Marathon - an annual ace run over a 31-mile course on the River Witham between Lincoln and Boston.

The course was first rowed in 1946 as a private challenge for a coxed four from Boston Rowing Club but the race now attracts more than 200 entries.

The Hereford and Monmouth composite coxless quad came third overall, but the first two boats were eights so it was a superb achievement.

Even better, they also set a new course record for the fastest Senior Coxless Quad category with the record time of 3:17:15.

l Bill Adamson, from the Wye Boatman Club, and Robin Morris, representing the social and fundraising committee, presented the club with three new rowing machines.