Former teacher paddles into Torquay after epic voyage around Britain

Brendon Prince about to become first to circumnavigate mainland on a standup paddleboard, all to raise awareness of water safety

He has had close encounters with orcas, sharks and more dolphins than he could count. He has negotiated fierce tidal flows and picked his way through offshore windfarms, shipping lanes and busy ports.

After a 141-day adventure, Brendon Prince, a 48-year-old former teacher, is about to become the first person to complete a circumnavigation of mainland Britain on a standup paddle board, covering nearly 2,500 miles.