The Jersey group, from the left: Mark Birrell, John Lloyd, Richie Wilson, Dave Ryan, Mark Happer, Tim Tredant and Simon Le Maistre

FIVE Jersey firefighters demonstrated the endurance skills they use on a daily basis when they undertook the challenge of climbing the Three Peaks.

Mark Birrell, John Lloyd, Richie Wilson, Dave Ryan and Simon Le Maistre all donned their hiking boots to scale Ben Nevis, Scafell Pike and Mount Snowdon in an impressive 18 hours and seven minutes.

Despite vowing never to do it again, the five men are now preparing to not only repeat their performance next year, but to try to gain a platinum medal for doing it under 17½ hours. They got the gold medal this year for their efforts.

All the cash they raise will go to the Wessex Cancer Trust, which helps people with cancer by providing research, improving patient facilities, buying equipment and providing complementary therapy and counselling services.

Mr Birrell (45), of St Brelade, thanked support drivers Tim Tredant and Mark Happer and Mike Mitchinson of Rubis for helping with the event.

Training for this year’s event involved cliff walks and lots of hours spent in the gym. The group set off for their challenge on Saturday 20 June, involving a total ascent of nearly 10,000 feet, covering 26 miles over 24 hours.

Mr Birrell said that the hardest peak was Scafell Pike. ‘Last year it was harder than I thought that it would be. I swore that I would never do it again, but then you think you can improve on your time and we will do that next year.

‘All of us are fairly stubborn and disciplined and it is about team-work – we don’t want to let each other down when we are climbing.’