SHE might be alone on a yacht in the South Atlantic Ocean but Hampshire round the world yachtswoman Dee Caffari celebrated her 36th birthday today with more than 2,300 messages from her fans, including several celebrity friends.

Seventy-four days into her circumnavigation in the 24,000-mile Vendée Globe race, Caffari enjoyed birthday messages from Olympic stars Sir Matthew Pinsent, Dame Kelly Holmes, Jonathan Edwards, Dean Macey and Colin Jackson as well as actor and adventurer Charley Boorman.

Caffari, from Titchfield, yesterday in seventh position, said: “It is just so cool that these guys have taken the time to remember that I’m out here and it’s my birthday.

“To have them celebrating it with me is such a morale boost.

“I seem to spend a lot of birthdays on my own at sea so it’s just brilliant to have messages from my own sporting heroes.”