A PIONEERING rowing boat for people with physical disabilities has made a splash in Oxford.

City of Oxford Rowing Club has launched the state-of-the-art boat for the club's adaptive squad to encourage inclusivity in the sport.

The model, which is called the Thames, is the first of its kind in the city and has been specially designed to provide much greater stability in the water.

A £4,000 donation from Thames Water made the project possible and rowing club member Alex Saunders, who also works for the water giant, launched the boat last Sunday.

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He said: “The boat is one of only a handful of its type in the country and means all members of the community can enjoy the ultimate team sport in Oxford.

“The river is such an important part of the city so we’re very grateful to Thames Water for making it accessible to everyone.”

For more information, visit oxfordrowingclub.org.uk/adaptive/