EMERGENCY supplies of water were last night delivered to a team of stranded transatlantic rowers, which includes two county soldiers.

Lieutenant Will Dixon, 27, and Lance Corporal Carl Anstey, 26, are part of the six-man Row 2 Recovery crew that had been running low on water for 16 days after their sea water purifier broke.

Relief boat Aurora reached the team anchored 558 miles from its destination, Barbados.

Speaking during the resupply mission, Lt Dixon, a former Cheltenham College pupil, said: "The re-supply has gone really well so far. We've got 200 litres of drinking water on board and we've got one more resupply to go.

"The sea state is pretty high at the moment, so it's a precarious operation passing that water from a small dinghy onto our rowing boat in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean.

"After 16 days on strict water rationing it's going to be amazing to feel hydrated again."

The crew was awaiting vital supplies of water and assistance from a mechanic to fix their rudder, which had become damaged due to the strength of the ocean.

Lt Dixon, an amputee, is with three other injured and two able-bodied servicemen attempting the 3,000-mile journey from the Canary Islands to the Caribbean.

Yesterday was the 41st day of their crossing and their fourth since dropping the anchor to await help.

The team had been surviving on just two litres of water each for each of the past 16 days, despite a gruelling schedule.

Aurora met the team to offload 350 litres of water and the effort started, using dinghies, at dawn yesterday.

Lt Dixon added: "The water isn't our only issue. Part of our rudder has sheared off, so the guys on board Aurora are also looking at fixing that. They're confident it is fixable."

The 3Rifles soldier, whose parents live in Elkstone, near Cirencester, lost his leg in a bomb blast in Afghanistan in December 2009. Before taking on the rowing challenge, he said he hoped it would give others confidence.

LCpl Anstey, of Gloucestershire-based 1Rifles, was left with his right leg two inches shorter than his left after he was attacked with a rocket-propelled grenade, also in Afghanistan, in January 2009.

The team has so far raised £655,000 for charities that support wounded soldiers.

For details on the journey and how to donate, visit www.row2recovery.com.