Firefighters to scale Dartmoor summits to raise money for charities

Plymouth firefighters will be aiming for the top this summer in bid to reach the summit of every tor on Dartmoor within seven days.

There are 155 tors marked on the Ordnance survey map and the team will have to walk between twelve and sixteen hours per day to reach them all in a week.

The firefighters from Greenbank fire station - Mark Rogers, Kevin Elford, and Nick Williams – will be raising money for St Luke’s Hospice and the Fire Fighters Charity during their Dartmoor Tor Challenge on 3-9 July.

Mark said: “Whilst out walking on Dartmoor one day between shifts we hatched a plan to set ourselves a challenge. We will be aiming to stand on the top of every Tor currently marked on the Ordnance survey map.

“To make things even tougher, this has to be accomplished all within the space of seven days. So we have started regularly going out on the moor to ‘recce’ possible routes whilst building up our fitness.”

To get themselves in shape, the trio is teaming up with their fire station colleagues for a Firefighter Easter Egg marathon event at the Go Outdoors store in Plymouth on Friday 29 March.

Twenty-six firefighters will be running the equivalent of a marathon on a treadmill in full fire kit, from 10am to 4pm. There will be a raffle and the team will be taking donations for the charities.

Chief Fire Officer Lee Howell said: “I never cease to be amazed at how dedicated and committed my staff are in their fundraising efforts, raising money for others less fortunate than themselves.”

For more information on the challenge or to give a donation, go to: www.dartmoortorchallenge.co.uk