Lone sailor pedals the Atlantic

AN INTREPID sailor made history yesterday when he staggered ashore after the first pedal-powered crossing of the Atlantic.

Dwight Collins, 34, arrived at Plymouth, completing the near-2,000 mile trip in 41 days on his 24ft high-tech pedalo Tango.

After kissing his wife Corinne, the American sipped a glass of champagne and said: 'It was hard.' The solo trip was the fastest human-powered crossing of the Atlantic, beating an oarsman's 1988 record by nearly two weeks, and also the longest foot-powered voyage, beating 1,934 miles set on the Mississippi river.

Mr Collins, a former US Navy special sea forces sailor, paid tribute to his 'fantastic' pedalo, saying: 'I have never felt safer in a boat in my life.' His tired legs propelled the bright orange pedalo into the record books after a maritime marathon which began at Newfoundland on 14 June.