Man in giant hamster wheel sinks in Irish Sea
Barcroft
How's this for bad luck? Imagine you're trying to cross the Irish Sea in a giant hamster wheel and it gets a bit windy. And then it gets even more windy. And then the hamster wheel breaks and it sinks you, hook, line and stange contraption.
That's exactly what happened "human hamster" Chris Todd, who has been forced to admit defeat in his attempt to cross the sea in a homemade tredalo to raise money for charity.
It all started off so well. Chris set off from Trearddur Bay, North Wales in calm seas and clear skies.
But after 12 hours in the wheel (and completing a mere 25km of his 106km journey) both rudders broke off as he ran into high winds.
He was eventually picked up by his safety boat and returned to Holyhead marina.
His vessel, however, completely disintegrated.
Lifeguard watch officer Richard Jones told The Metro: " The whole thing has sunk to the bottom of the sea."
Mr Todd, from Wiltshire, said he had waited for optimum conditions before attempting the 48-hour paddle. He spent nearly a year building the wheel, and he had hoped to raise £20,000 for the Royal Lifeboat Institution and Wiltshire Blind Association.
The BBC reports that he is hoping to have another go soon. Watch this space!
In the meantime, if you want to donate, you can visit irishseacrossing.co.uk.
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