Boys in blue brave six miles of mud for cause (From Evesham Journal)

Boys in blue brave six miles of mud for cause

3:10pm Monday 20th August 2012 in News By Richard Vernalls, @rvernallsWN #worcsnews

WORCESTER’S finest were smiling through the mud after slogging round a gruelling six-mile mire testing strength and stamina.

A team of boys in blue from West Mercia Police took on the Oblivion Mudrunner event at Eastnor Castle near Ledbury in Herefordshire recently, raising £500 for the New Hope respite care centre at Wells Road, Ronkswood.

PCs Alex Denny and Matt Digger, who swapped shifts in the fast response cars covering the city for a slog in the mud, said they had no regrets taking on the test of endurance.

They were joined by colleagues Sgt Dave Qubain and special constable Matt Price, all in fancy dress.

After keeping their stiff upper lip through water-logged crawl tunnels and hauling their weary bodies over cargo netting, the boys in blue came a respectable 547th out of 1,200.

PC Digger said: “It was a fantastic day. We had a rope climb, wall climb, a couple of swims, running through tank tracks in mud up to your chest and on one occasion it was impossible to get down one slope without falling so we came down on our behinds – toboggan style.”

To support the officers’ fund-raising efforts people can sign the sponsor form at the front counter of the Castle Street police station.

For more details about New Hope’s work, visit newhopeworcester.co.uk.