ROWING hero Ed Baylis, who landed in Antigua on Wednesday after a marathon 3,000-mile journey across the Atlantic, was on Thursday night set to be reunited with the Dutch pair who saved him from starvation.

Mr Baylis, from Wimborne, and his rowing partner Stu Turnbull, both 26, made a dramatic dash across the waters to rendezvous with the Dutch crew on Valentine's Day after running out of food with a week left to go before hitting dry land.

Their saviours fed them on a feast of mashed potato, chicken satay and cookies before loading them up with food and going their separate ways.

The Dutchmen were supposed to be landing at San Martin but changed their plans at the last minute to head for Antigua, where the grateful Brits had organised a surprise champagne reception, flotilla and dinner.

Mr Baylis, a self-employed health food businessman in everyday life, called home as soon as he arrived in Antigua, to a hero's welcome, on Wednesday.

Speaking by satellite phone the exhausted rower said: "I feel like I set out thinking I was a big man and I have come back feeling like a little boy. We've had the time of our lives and we would not have missed a minute of it. Now we are just excited to reach land, meet our friends and families and have a few beers."

The pair set off from La Gamera in the Canaries in December hoping to beat the world record of 40 days, five hours and 31 minutes for rowing unsupported across the Atlantic, in a 24ft plywood boat.

Bad weather and 40ft monster waves intervened to make this impossible from early in the trip but the men continued, determined to achieve their main goal, which was to raise as much money as possible for Cancer Research UK, a total that has already exceeded £200,000.

Mr Baylis' family had hoped to have him home in time to celebrate his 27th birthday on Friday and to enjoy a busy weekend calendar in the International rugby world but it may be his return is delayed until next week.