Rower mistaken for migrant says Yarmouth MP reaction ridiculous

Charity rowers have described their confusion after being mistaken by an MP for being what he described as “illegal migrants”.

Independent MP for Great Yarmouth, Rupert Lowe, shared a picture on X on Thursday, showing a boat close to wind turbines near the Norfolk town.

HM Coastguard contacted the crew to confirm their identities, and found it was a team travelling from Land’s End in Cornwall, to John O’Groats in Scotland.

Crew member Matthew Parker said the response – and the crowd that gathered on the shoreline – was “ridiculous”.

“It was a little bit like the swamp scene from Shrek, where the vigilantes have come to get rid of the ogre,” said Mr Parker.

Lowe later said, on X, that he would donate £1,000 to the Motor Neurone Disease charity they were raising money for.