The blaze happened in the early hours of Wednesday morning when 55 fire-fighters were called to the scene.

Berkshire Fire and Rescue Service said they were still investigating the cause of the fire but they said that they did not suspect arson.

"It is totally devastating," Sir Steve told the Maidenhead Advertiser.

"The first time I went on the water was at Marlow Rowing Club."

Sir Steve also said that "irreplaceable" photos and awards were lost and that the club could struggle to cope with all the damage.

"Upper Thames Rowing Club lost a trailer carrying some of its top boats on the way to a regatta in Belgium earlier this year and they found it really difficult to continue through the season," he said.

"With Marlow we are not just talking about a trailer-load of boats, we are talking about every boat that the club owns - and that's even if they are all insured.

"It's going to take a hell of a lot of time to replace them."


Another former Olympian, Sarah Winckless, who won bronze in the double sculls at the 2004 Olympics in Athens, said that the damage was "heart-breaking" to see.

"So many elite athletes in the community have been through this building," said Winckless, who is the chair of the British Olympic Association's Athletes' Commission.

"Just to see the damage is heart-breaking."

"Thank God everyone is fine and no one has been hurt but a lot of history was lost."

Club secretary Ed Phillips added to the BBC: "There's a lot of smoke and fire damage to the boats.

"In the central part of the club, part of the roof is down, a lot of the windows are out.

"Most distressingly, the damage is largely to the older part of the club, where there's a lot of historical stuff in the bar such as old pictures and old boats."

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