HEREFORDSHIRE'S rescued rower Mike Noel-Smith arrived home last Sunday just two weeks after the accident that caused his Indian Ocean crossing to be abruptly cancelled.

Mike spent nearly 24 hours lapsing in and out of consciousness after cracking his head against the side of the boat, leaving his rowing partner Rob Abernethy to radio for help.

The pair had rowed about 1,500 miles from Western Australia in their record attempt when disaster struck.

Mike, from Much Dewchurch, said: "It wasn't scary because it happened so quickly. It was a very unusual wave. It came from the wrong direction and just took us by surprise."

After spending time with his family Mike plans to carry on fundraising work linked to the trip.

He is raising money for the children's charity SPARKS with a series of events and charity auctions hoping to capitalise on the media frenzy that greeted his rescue in Australia and return to the UK.

"People have been very positive," he said. "There was the question about the cost to the Australian tax payer of the rescue but we have always countered that by saying that under international law you have to help people at sea.

"I think that if someone was in trouble in British waters we would do the same."