Two 13-year-old boys have raised over £1,200 for the RNLI by sailing a marathon over the May Bank Holiday around Falmouth.

Orlando Kennedy and Angus Williams, two Year 8 pupils at the Pilgrims School in Winchester, decided on the charity raise as their school leavers project.

The boys had just completed competing in a schools regatta at the Olympic venue in Weymouth, finishing a creditable eighth out of 33 entrants, so were used to long days in a boat.

Orlando, from St Mawes Sailing Club, and Angus, from the Port Navas Yacht Club, which is run by members of his family, were sailing in an RS Feva.

Simon Boote of Ancasta in Mylor kindly supplied the support RIB, driven by the boys parents and a school friend, providing constant supplies as well as encouragement throughout the day.

The intrepid duo left the start line in St Mawes at 11am on Sunday, May 27.

Sailing past the Black Rock, the course took them across Falmouth Bay to the Helford River, and around the Car Croc Buoy at the entrance to Gillan Creek.

From there they sailed back to Falmouth, up the River Fal to Turnaware Point, and to various points around Carrick Roads including Mylor, Restronguet and St Just.

The overall journey, just under 23 nautical miles, took six hours and 25 minutes.

Orlando said: “We’ve been sailing around Cornwall all our lives, so it was a great choice to do our leavers project in Falmouth waters to raise money for the RNLI. Sailing past the entrance to the Helford was a great highlight.”

Angus added: “It was a long day, but with the sun shining and good sailing conditions we managed to smile all the way around the course, except when we capsized in the middle of Carrick Roads."