THE team of rowers that crossed the 100 miles between St Kilda and Portree on Skye has reached its £20,000 fundraising target.

The eight oarsmen and three female coxswains undertook the journey to raise money for two charities, the Lochalsh Young Carers and RNLI. Five of the team are volunteers with the Portree Lifeboat.

The Row St Kilda team announced at the weekend they had reached their target. "Thank you to everyone that's donated, it's very much appreciated," they said. Their passage took just over 30 hours. They crossed 41 miles of the Atlantic, then passed through the Sound of Harris and across the Minch, reaching Portree Harbour on May 31. Their 20ft-long skiff in the late 1890s by Thomas Orr of Greenock.