OCEAN rower Rob Loder-Symonds, who grew up in Kent, has helped set a world record by completing the fastest row across the Atlantic.

He and his fellow team members arrived in Barbados late on Thursday afternoon local time, smashing the previous record of 35 days eight hours and 30 minutes by more than two days. The record had stood for 16 years.

Speaking a few hours after arriving on the Caribbean island, Mr Loder-Symonds, a 36-year-old management consultant, said he felt a huge sense of relief.

"For 33 days I have been in a trance-like state but it was such a wonderful experience to be out in the wilderness of that vast ocean and feeling its power," he said.

Mr Loder-Symonds’ parents Caroline and Roddy, who live at Womenswold, near Canterbury, were in Barbados to greet him and joined a flotilla of boats which came out to meet the rowers as they made their way to Port St Charles.

Mr Loder-Symonds said the hardest part of the trip was the first week, rowing two hours on and two hours off.

"My backside was extremely painful and I found it hard to sleep," he said. "However, I kept my head down and stuck to my game plan to shut up and just row."

He is planning on returning to the UK on Sunday after spending a few days relaxing with his family, playing golf and cricket and attending a celebration party with the Prime Minister of Barbados.

He was raising money for the Motor Neurone Disease Association and the parish church at Womenswold.