THE man who broke what is believed to be the world's oldest record when he sailed down the River Thames in a paper boat, came to Fairlop Waters to show how he did it.

Tim Fitzhigham, who will be recounting his exploits at the Redbridge Drama Centre, sailed 160 miles from Oxford to Tower Bridge in his canoe made of paper, thereby breaking a record that had stood for 383 years.

His eight-day effort raised more than £10,000 for Comic Relief and Redbridge Mayor Charles Elliman went to the lake to congratulate him on his efforts.

Mr Fitzhigham dreamed up his scheme after reading about the exploits of a 17th century poet, John Taylor, who built a paper boat to demonstrate the quality of English paper.

He said: "He had extraordinary ideas on almost every subject and this was entirely in keeping with his own crazy outlook. I got a lot of sheets of A3 and A4 paper, laid them up in a canoe mould and nailed them together."

Once on the river, Mr Fitzhigham realised why the record had remained unbroken for so long, and as he struggled towards the finish line, it was touch and go whether his increasingly waterlogged boat would make it. The Thames was closed off to other river traffic and the Royal Navy sent an escort boat to accompany the intrepid voyager.

He said: "It went horribly wrong and was increasingly gaffer taped together. It was a real struggle to get it over the finish line, but it was an amazing sensation."

l The Redbridge Drama Centre in Churchfields, South Woodford, will be hosting Mr Fitzhigham for one evening on November 3 as he tells the tale of his odyssey and the man who inspired it. Tickets for the paper boat show cost £8 for adults and £5 concessions, and are available from the box office on 8504 5451.