The owners of a battery-powered boat pushed the technology to the limit by seeing how far they could sail on a single charge.

Les Fidler and his wife Elaine, owners of the West View Marina, in Earith, made it all the way from Bedford to Denver Sluice, in Norfolk, along the River Great Ouse – a trip of some 70 miles.

And the couple still had enough power in their batteries to make it back home to Earith from Denver, taking the total journey distance of about 100 miles.

The trip took place over the bank holiday weekend and was carried out by the Fidlers in order to promote boating on the River Great Ouse by electric, hybrid and solar-powered vessels.

They were joined for a short leg of their journey through St Ives by the town’s mayor, Cllr Ian Jackson, and his wife, Gilly. The challenge raised hundreds of pounds for the mayor’s charities, The Dementia Café, 2nd St Ives Sea Scouts, and the Memory Lane Singalong Café.

Mr Fidler said: “We were very surprised that we made it so far on a single charge. I was confident that I could do the 70 miles down to Denver but to make it back ti Eairth was very pleasing.”