They were suffering from exhaustion on Boat Race Day

The Chiswick lifeboat crew rescued two canoeists suffering from hypothermia and exhaustion at the Thames foreshore on Boat Race day. The crew said they were returning from a previous call-out when they found the pair "in some distress" in front of the Harrods Depository near Barnes.

Both people had been taking part in the annual Devizes to Westminster international canoe race, a gruelling 125-mile contest that sees 300 boats travel from Wiltshire and finish opposite the Houses of Parliament.

They were taken to Chiswick Pier where paramedics treated the pair.

Helmsman Luke Dillon said: “One of the pair was suffering from exhaustion and hypothermia, having paddled through the night in wet and windy conditions.
"We were able to assist them, start to warm them up and prevent their condition from deteriorating further."

The international race has been held ever Easter since 1948 and, because of its arduous nature, participants are advised to train for six months beforehand.

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April 1, 2016