A HAMPSHIRE yachtsman has spoken of his "personal heartbreak" at having to call off his bid to become the first disabled person to sail singlehanded round Great Britain when he was thrown from his boat.

Quadriplegic sailor Geoff Holt set sail from Hamble on the first leg of the record-breaking 1,600-mile voyage yesterday.

But disaster struck when waves generated by the dozens of spectator and press boats caused his 15ft trimaran to become overpowered and he was thrown into the Solent.

To make matters worse, the 40-year-old's lifejacket didn't inflate properly, and he lay face down in the water unable to turn himself over.

One of his rescue team jumped the support boat and flipped Geoff onto his back, before dragging him to safety.

Today Geoff said that he was fine and well - but his pride had been hurt.

He said: "What started as one of the most amazing days for me ended in personal heartbreak.

"I became a victim of our own PR interest by the world's media when the many spectator boats caused a confused sea and with a following stiff breeze, my boat broached across the top of one of the washes from a nearby RIB.

"It flung the boat around, I overbalanced and found myself face down in the Solent in front of the worlds press.

"Was anyone to blame?

"Of course not, it was just one of those things.

"This is a momentous Challenge and one we hope to restart in the next few days.

If the challenge goes ahead, Geoff, from Shedfield, will aim to sail about 50 miles a day on a voyage that will take around 50 days to complete.