The Seagals in their boat Go Commando. Photo by onEdition

Kent rower Laura Thomasson and her colleagues have become the first all-female crew to row around Britain.

It has taken them 51 days, and they have endured strong winds and nearly being run down by a huge ship to complete the Virgin GB Row Challenge.

They set off from Tower Bridge on June 1 to race against a boys' team and to try and break the previous world record of 26 days. But the conditions put paid to any hope of setting a new record, and the boys team withdrew from the race.

Laura, 24, who lives at Kingsdown and is a member of Dover Rowing Club, has been rowing a 24-fo9ot boat called Go Commando with skipper Belinda Kirk, Bev Ashton and Angela Madsen. They are called The Seagals.

They have already been congratulated by Virgin boss Sir Richard Branson on their achievement.

When they pass under Tower Bridge again this morning, they will win the £15,000 prize and a trophy.

Sir Richard Branson said: "Go Seagals! I knew I was right to back to girls in beating the boys in the first ever Virgin GB Row and I’m over the moon that such brave women have achieved a world record in such a spectacular fashion!

"This is why we set up the Virgin Trophy. Belinda, Angela, Laura and Beverley have pushed through extreme tiredness, hunger and serious injury to battle on and achieve the goal they set out to achieve.

"Britain has something to be proud of this summer after all! I hope they will get all of Britain’s support when they row up the Thames on Thursday to claim their world record and the trophy!"

The girls had hoped to finish on Thursday, but they were held up by strong winds of the Essex coast.

It was the latest drama in a voyage which has been far from plain sailing for the girls and their former opponents, a boys team called The Misfits who withdrew from the race at Lands End after having to accept assistance which was against the rules.

Last week the girls were nearly run down by a huge ship in the middle of the night when Laura and Angela were rowing.

“If it had not been for the fast, calm and effective work of Humber Coastguard God knows what would have happened to us,” said Laura.

Problems with the boat’s solar regulator, which converts power from the on-board solar panels into the boat's battery packs, have led to difficulties with communications with the crew and they have also had to introduce water rationing.

Full story in this week's Dover Mercury and East Kent Mercury.