TWO ships literally passed in the night as a pair of rowing teams met up for a Valentine's dinner date - in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean.

Ed Baylis, 26, from Wimborne, and his Wiltshire rowing partner Stu Turnbull, also 26, said they were close to starvation when a pair of Dutchman came to their rescue in a dramatic mid-Atlantic rendezvous.

Speaking to the Daily Echo by satellite phone from his 24-foot plywood boat, Mr Baylis, who runs his own health food business, said: "It was really touch and go to be honest. We had a little bit of food left and we were rationing it right down.

"We were eating 1,100 calories a day but burning 7,000 and that is just unsustainable. We were still determined we could make it, then we got this incredible call from these Dutchmen."

Mr Baylis and Mr Turnbull were 60 days into a 3,000-mile voyage to across the treacherous ocean, unsupported, through which they hope to raise £250,000 for Cancer Research UK.

They set off on December 20 last year and had hoped to break the world record of 40 days but their chances were scuppered by 40ft waves and horrendous weather conditions that left them struggling to eke out enough food to survive.

The Dutch team are making a similar voyage and volunteered to help out, but the Englishmen were still left with the tough decision of whether or not to eat the rest of their rations to give them enough energy to row 80 miles to a set of co-ordinates in enough time to catch the other rowers.

They took that gamble and they made it with time to spare, to be greeted with plates loaded with enough chicken satay, mashed potato and vanilla pudding to fill them both up.

Mr Baylis said: "We had a lovely Valentine's meal with them and we left really, really full. They have given us enough food for 100 meals and even if it takes weeks to get there we have enough to eat and we are now eating every hour."

The pair now hope to arrive at their destination in Antigua some time next week, depending on weather conditions, and they have already raised over £200,000 for their chosen charity.