Comedian Dara O'Briain left clinging to a tree for survival for nearly an HOUR after crashing during Comic Relief Zambezi River challenge

PUBLISHED: 13:51, 30 January 2013 | UPDATED: 16:59, 30 January 2013

Comedian Dara O'Briain had a scare on Day 2 of the Comic Relief Zambezi River challenge when he was left hanging off a tree after his raft crashed.

The Mock The Week host, 40, and triple jumper Phillips Idowu, 34, left their celebrity teammates fearing something serious had happened after going missing for 90 minutes.

Paddling the last raft through white water rapids on the Zambezi River in Zambia, the pair ended up getting separated from the rest of the group, before crashing their raft.

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It started off so well: Phillips Idowu and Dara O'Briain set off on Day 2 of the Hell and High Water challenge in Zambia

Clinging on for dear life: Dara managed to grab hold of a tree after being thrown from the raft

After Dara was swept overboard, he ended up climbing on to a nearby tree, where he spent close to an hour hanging off before being rescued.

Meanwhile, his raftmate Phillips remained on the boat, but was tangled up in some bushes as they waited for the crew to rescue them.

Dara and Phillips are on the Hell and High Water Challenge alongside Melanie Chisholm, Jack Dee, Chelsee Healey and Greg James.

Uh oh: Dara and Phillips turn their backs towards the trees as they prepare for the collision

Collision: Phillips remained on the raft and got tangled in the bushes, while Dara went off floating towards the tree

Over five days, they will travel 100 kilometres of the Zambezi River, raising money for Comic Relief.

After being rescued by the crew - who had never lost site of them - Irish funnyman Dara was clearly shaken.

Speaking to TV presenter Emma Willis after his dramatic rescue, Dara explained: 'We'd lost both paddles at this stage and we kinda made a conscious decision will we either go down on our backs or hold onto the raft. We had no control either way.

Man overboard: The moment Dara goes flying off the raft as seen on his helmet-cam

Farewell: Dara watches his paddle drift away from him

'(On the tree) I thought I can hold myself up in this, but I'd say it was about 2 1/2 knots in the rapids which is like standing in a 90mph gale.'

While Dara showed off cuts on his legs, Phillips had ripped his T-shirt in the brambles.

When asked if he was apprehensive about getting back on the river, Dara admitted: 'Yes, at the moment... I'm not in a rush to go back out. We were due to have a break at the end of these rapids. I think we've earned it.'

VIDEO Moment Dara clutches to tree for survival after crashing raft

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Shaken: Dara speaks about his battle to stay on the tree for 40 minutes

Pensive: Dara and Phillips are understandably not in a rush to return to a water raft after their ordeal

After being reunited with their celebrity teammates, Greg, Mel C, Chelsee and Jack listened in horror as Dara and Phillips explained what had happened.

They calculated Dara had been hanging off the tree 'for about 40 minutes', adding: 'I did jump from the tree to a moving boat.'

Speaking to BBC News later on, Greg admits the group were incredibly worried when Dara and Phillips went missing.

War wounds: Dara cut his legs, while Phillips ripped his T-shirt

Survivors: Dara and Phillips are reunited with their teammates after their scary ordeal

Powerful: The celebrities were split into groups of two for the Day 2 rafting challenge

He said: 'Things got really serious. We have no idea (why they weren't the wrong way). They were the back boat. They got too far behind the pack and lost the direction. We went left and they chose right.

'It sounds funny now. There was about an hour, hour or a half where even the guides here were very very worried.'

Speaking to This Morning on Thursday, Emma explained: 'We thankfully managed to bank ourselves in the rapids on a support boat because we were filming everything so we had to try and get both of them. But Dara was on there clinging to the tree for about 30-40 minutes which is a long time.

'We had to negotiate getting across the river to get Phillips and once we got him, we had to go down the river to get Dara. We couldn't stop when we passed Dara so he had to just jump off the tree and grab on to an oar...and thankfully he made it.'

Emotional: Strictly star Chelsee sheds a tear as she meets the children at Mandia School

Making new friends: Phillips chats to some of the students

Sorry to interrupt: Jack sticks his head through a window to chat to a student inside the school

Following their ordeal, the celebrities went on meet villagers at the Siandunda Village and children at the Mandia School, who are being helped by the proceeds raised by Comic Relief.

Strictly Come Dancing star Chelsee was moved to tears as she heard about the children's living conditions.

Meanwhile. Phillips entertained the children by performing the high jump in the fields of their school.

To help the stars raise money for Comic Relief, sponsor them now at www.rednoseday.com/zambezi.

Inspiring future athletes? Phillips shows off her athleticism

That's entertainment: The children clap at Phillips lands on the sand

Close knit: The celebrities before the rafting part of the challenge

Not quite the Hilton! Mel C and Greg lay out one of the mattress as they set up camp

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Wednesday, 30 January 2013