A TEAM of firefighters from Fordingbridge completed a 54-mile challenge wearing their full fire kit, including 16kg breathing apparatus.

Matt O’Hare, Colin Reeves, Lee Dorrington and his dad Paul took on the walking/running challenge over the weekend - travelling to all 11 fire stations in the New Forest.

Lee said: “We all agreed it was one of the hardest challenges any one of us had ever completed. The weather on Saturday made it extremely tough on the top of the forest between Beaulieu and Brockenhurst. This was by far the hardest leg we faced with sideways rain and strong winds.

“We managed to cover 30 miles the first day and 26 on Sunday. But the real tough man of the entire event was Paul who put in an incredible effort and showed every single one of the young team up.

“Big thanks goes to Ross and Kirk Freeman our support drivers and Heidi McShea, Clair Lockyer and Jack Dorrington for our support runners and rider.”

The challenge started in Lyndhurst with the firefighters going to Totton, Hythe, Hardley, Beaulieu, Brockenhurst and Lymington on the first day.

On day two they went from Lymington then to New Milton,Burley, Ringwood finishing at Fordingbridge. 

More than £2,000 has been raised for The Fire Fighters Charity. To donate go to gofundme.com/f/fordingbridge47-new-forest-challenge