A CANOE challenge which saw two men paddle the length of the River Severn raised £,4000.

Ben Mannion, Director of Hewett Recruitment and Jim McBride, Chairman of Lesk Engineers, who are both board members of Herefordshire and Worcestershire Chamber of Commerce decided to take on the challenge to raise funds for The Megan Baker House in Leominster.

Mr Mannion and Mr McBride canoed from Llanidloes in mid-Wales, near the source of the River Severn, and finished at Chepstow. The challenge started on Friday, July 13, finishing Thursday, July 19.

Mr Mannion said: "It was great, although the first two legs (LLanidloes to Newtown and Newtown to Pool Quay) were very touch and go as the river isn’t exactly friendly at that point and we had thunder and lightning on the first day!"

Mr Mannion and Mr McBride had very limited experience of canoeing, Mr McBride had never canoed. They trained for the challenge at Worcester Canoe Club, and thanked them for their support, along with Mr McBride's wife Janis McBride who was their support crew, following them from point to point.

The Megan Baker House is provides conductive education sessions for children and adults with motor disorders such as Cerebral Palsy, Dyspraxia, Parkinson's disease, stroke and Acquired brain injury.

Through conductive education participants learn how to manage and deal with their difficulties enabling them to lead an independent life.