A woman from Barrow has returned after completing an around-the-world yacht race alongside her mum.

Megan Allpress, 27, and her mum Amanda Shehab, 57 returned to Portsmouth after completing the Clipper 2023-24 Round the World Yacht Race.

Megan, a Materials Engineer, and Amanda, a Company Director from Wales, joined the Dare To Lead team in September 2023 where they took on the epic challenge of sailing around the world together.

READ MORE: Barrow event for people inspired by Dave Day

READ MORE: Boy who bagged 600 mountains reaches new summit

READ MORE: Barrow Raiders help older residents unlock sporting memories

They finished the final race of this edition, sailing from Oban to Portsmouth, on Saturday, July 27 for the event’s Grand Finale.

The Clipper Race is unique in that it trains everyday people to sail around the world. By completing the 40,000 nautical mile-long race, Amanda and Megan have joined a small group of people who can call themselves circumnavigators, crossing all meridians of longitude and passing the Equator twice.

More people have climbed Mount Everest than have sailed around the world, and the pair say the beautiful thing is, they got to do it together.

(Image: Jason Bye) On arrival for the Grand Finale in Portsmouth, Amanda, filled with emotion, said: "Sharing these experiences with Megan was very special and there was an unspoken bond between us because of the things we have experienced together.

"I always wanted to sail around the world, but I never imagined I would be able to do it with my daughter. Now I can't imagine it any other way.

"It's been amazing. There's been some really tough bits, but I've forgotten about them already. It's been one of the best things I've ever done. Absolutely fantastic.”

Subscribe to The Mail today and get the latest news, sports, and entertainment delivered straight to your device

Megan added: "It's been incredible. Looking back on this experience, there have been so many highlights.

"It's hard to put into words and even the tough bits, you look back on them and think, ‘we did that’. We got through it and we're now back where we started eleven months and 46,000 miles later. It's incredible."

(Image: Jason Bye) Over the past eleven months the duo have made six ocean crossings, faced storm-force winds, tackled waves higher than a two-storey house, worked through searing hot and freezing cold temperatures, electrical storms, water spouts and squalls all whilst racing alongside 20 teammates, 24 hours a day, for up to 27 days at a time.

Racing on one of eleven identical racing teams, it has taken Amanda and Megan eleven months to complete the challenge on board a stripped-back 70 ft long racing yacht.

(Image: Jason Bye)

They are two of just 75 Clipper Race crew who have taken on all eight stages of the Clipper Race. Some 700 Race Crew have taken part in one or multiple numbers of the eight-stage circuit.

In addition to a sailing challenge, it has been a test of endurance, resilience and courage.

Clipper Race Crew, aged between 18 and 75, represent 45 nations and have stepped out of their regular lives as farmers, tattoo artists, doctors, students, teachers and retirees and have put everything on pause to take on the race of their lives.