Four friends have returned home after completing a 3,000-mile rowing adventure across the Atlantic Ocean.

The Invictus Atlantic team, which included three members from Cornwall, embarked on the journey to raise money for Cornish mental health charity, Invictus Trust.

They finished The World’s Toughest Row in 45 days, nine hours, and 14 minutes, despite their 8.5m boat being punctured twice by the beaks of marlin fish.

The crew set off from the Canary Islands' La Gomera on December 11 and faced 30-40 ft swells, intense sun, and sleep deprivation as they rowed two hours on, and two hours off.

Their voyage saw them row almost non-stop for 1,089 hours, averaging just under 3mph.

They reached the Caribbean's Antigua on January 25, having spent Christmas and New Year away from family and friends.

The team finished 17th overall, crossing the finish line into English Harbour in Antigua to complete this gruelling 3,000-mile rowing race. (Image: World's Toughest Row.)

The Invictus Atlantic team consisted of skipper James Brittain-Long, 60, a Constantine-based businessman and gig rower; Paul Hayes, 61, a former Royal Marine Commando and now teacher from Falmouth; Luke Morgan, 61, a former RNAS Culdrose helicopter pilot; and David Radford-Wilson, 58, a former Royal Engineer Officer and global project director from Dorset.

Mr Brittain-Long said: "It was an amazing experience for all of us and it's made me determined to not just let life happen but to go out there and experience things.

"It's astonishing what you can do when you have to.

"Like most crews, we were 48 hours in and we were thinking has this been a calamitous mistake?

"But it was fine.

"You just get on with it because you've got no choice, and that's what we did, focusing on the job at hand."

The crew's journey included close encounters with a whale, porpoises, and dolphins.

However, they were also struck four times by marlins, one nearly three metres long, which pierced the hull twice.

Mr Brittain-Long added: "I was on a break in the cabin when there was this almighty thump and the boat pivoted on its axis.

"The marlin had pierced the hull right next to me, so I stuck my fist in the hole and we patched it up with wooden bungs and putty which we had with us because we'd been warned this could happen."

The Invictus Atlantic crew finished 17th out of the 36 crews taking part.

They were greeted by family and friends in Antigua, with a table laden with fresh fruit and chilled beer.

They then spent a week together on holiday where Mr Brittain-Long said he "didn’t stop eating" having lost more than 14kg in weight.