Olympic pair in tandem record bid

Olympic champions James Cracknell and Rebecca Romero embarked on a gruelling world record attempt today.

The pair set out on a non-stop 874-mile tandem bicycle ride from Land's End to John O'Groats.

They are attempting to break the world record for the non-stop mixed tandem bicycle ride to mark the launch of a new mass participation cycling event - the Deloitte Ride Across Britain.

The current non-stop record for a tandem is two days, three hours, 19 minutes and 23 seconds.

Olympic and world champion cyclist and rower Romero and double gold Olympic medallist rower Cracknell will have to travel at just under 16.5 miles per hour to beat the record, which includes comfort breaks and eating stops.

They started out on their journey along A-roads at dawn this morning and should arrive at their final destination on Wednesday morning.