MEMBERS of North Yorkshire Police support staff have raised over £1,400 for Cancer Research after completing a gruelling overnight trek across the North Yorkshire Moors.

Ten members of staff and friends from the Procurement and Business Support Departments at police headquarters set off at 11pm on 6 July to complete the Lyke Wake Walk from Osmotherley near Northallerton to Ravenscar on the east coast.

They hiked through the night despite fatigue and blistering feet, to reach their destination at 2.30pm the following day, raising £1,445.54 which, with added Gift Aid makes a total of £1,745.

Procurement Officer Dave Freeman who organised the event said: "Every year we like to do a challenge and this year we decided to do the Lyke Wake Walk on behalf of Cancer Research UK, as we all have friends or family who are fighting their own battles in some sort of way with this disease.

"The walk itself was extremely hard due to amount of rain that had fallen over the previous weeks, it made the track into rivers and ones feet were wet for most of the 42 miles! After a gruelling 15 hours of walking we finally reached Ravenscar Mast.

"The support team did a wonderful job in keeping up moral and for provided hot cuppa and food at every one of the six checkpoints."

Senior Business Support Officer Kirstie Wilson said: "We completed the walk in 15 hours 30 min, despite treacherous flood conditions! Teamwork kept us going and the walk was full of hilarious situations involving adders, bog's and submerged stepping stones. We are all so pleased to have completed and now be official Witches and Dirges!"

• Pictured are the support staff presenting their cheque to Sara Benson from Cancer Research UK (second from left). Kirstie Wilson and Dave Freeman are pictured front kneeling.