FIVE intrepid firefighters are power-walking from London to York, to raise money for injured soldiers.

Watch manager Justin Rowe, who is based in Malton, and his colleagues Mark Naylor, station manager in Whitby, Peter Schofield, watch manager in Whitby, York firefighter Paul Gregg, and safety officer Adrian Riley, and will be completing the speed march from the Cenotaph in London to York Minster from August 18-25.

Not content with simply walking the 240-mile distance, the quintet will also be pulling a custom built trailer carrying tent, sleeping bags, rations and personnel kit.

The team has set itself the target of raising £10,000 for the Help for Heroes charity, which is building a swimming pool and physiotherapy department at the Hedley Court Hospital Surrey for severely injured soldiers returning from Afghanistan.

Mr Rowe said: “My colleagues and I are all ex-servicemen and we know of soldiers who have been killed or injured in Afghanistan and Iraq.

“The challenge will be very demanding, but it is for an extremely good cause.”

The five men are all keen runners, so they will be doing two half marathons as training, as well as meeting up every month to practise speed walking with their equipment. The final training hurdle will be a three-day walk together.

Mr Rowe, who lives in Norton with his wife, Sue, and eight-year-old son, William, said maintaining speed would be very important on the challenge.

He said: “We’re starting each day at 6am, and walking for seven hours, so for us to get to where we need to be each evening, with time to relax, we need to keep up a constant speed of four miles an hour.

“I’m really excited, and I think all four of us will get on really well, as the route has all been planned for us, so we can’t argue over which way we should be going.”

The team will stay at campsites and fire brigade buildings along the way.