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Newton Ferrers is a picturesque Devon village on the banks of the River Yealm in the South Hams.

Barbara Hemming moved there with her family when she was just an 18 month old child and she's been there ever since.

Barbara's a very modest woman; "I don't really like to be centre of attention," she told me, when I met her on a sunny morning in April 2009.

Warwick takes the oars

"You'd better speak to my husband, Warwick. He's the one that can tell you everything," she said. "I don't do interviews very well."

Then, as often happens with people who start conversations with those words, she went on to tell me all about herself!

Parking in Newton Ferrers is at a premium, so I begged a space at The Dolphin Inn, promising to return for a coffee and a ploughman's later.

Meanwhile, Barbara had sent hubby Warwick off to fetch 'Scorpio', their 14ft rowing boat which he skillfully beached near the slipway and the three of us hopped in.

Changes

"I'm afraid I've got squeaky rollocks," Warwick gifted me. (As the unofficial King of innuendo, I couldn't resist replying - but maybe I'll keep that between the three of us!)

The view from the River Yealm

As we pushed away from the shore, 71 year-old Barbara took to the oars.

"Newton Ferrers has changed quite a bit in the time I've lived here," she reminisced.

"Fishermen used to mend their nets on Riverside Walk, children would be playing, and there were definitely no double yellow lines!"

Barbara holds several titles for her rowing. She has been the ladies' rowing champion in the local regatta 13 times.

"When I was growing up, my father had a bike and a boat," she told me.

"My brothers used to play on the bike and I was able to play in the boat.

"I used to row out to the Mew Stone, fit rods in the spare rollock holes, tie bells to the top and go fishing.

"I caught lots of Pollock. It was great fun."

All at sea

Barbara met her husband Warwick at a dance in Plymouth.

Warwick skippered oil tankers before he retired

"I had crossed the Tamar from Cornwall," he said. "I was trying to improve the blood line in Devon!"

And the water played a major part in Warwick's life too. When they were married he was often away for several months at a time.

"I was the skipper for a major oil company, transporting their huge tankers at sea."

And he's very proud of his wife's achievements: "Barbara comes up with some fantastic ideas," says Warwick, who by now has swapped places with his wife and is paddling us back upstream.

Barbara has lived in Newton Ferrers for 70+ years.

"On Easter Sunday she rowed over 14 miles on the river, to raise money for local charities.

"She had a plan to row out to the Eddystone lighthouse and back - but that's the best part of 26 miles so I suggested a HALF-marathon might be a better bet!"

Barbara suffered from breast cancer some years ago. She still gets pain in her arm from the radiotherapy which makes her achievements even more remarkable.

"I was treated in the Primrose Ward at Derriford Hospital in Plymouth and everyone there was lovely," she smiled.

"If I can raise a bit of money for them, and a bit of awareness too, then that's the way I can give something back."

Simply the best

And what was it that kept Barbara going on her Easter Sunday row?

"I took my bible, a banana and some water," she says.

Noss Mayo seen from Newton Ferrers

And the future? Isn't it about time to start taking it easy?

"Not on your life, I love the water and I love Newton Ferrers."

And Warwick agrees: "I've been to many places in my life," he says, "but none of them can compete with Devon.

And on a sunny day on the River Yealm, who can disagree?