FIVE personnel at an RAF base are Walking Home For Christmas to help homeless veterans get employment.

Acting Flight Sergeant Sarah Swinscoe, who works in personnel and welfare support at RAF Leeming, near Bedale, plans to run 13 miles from the airbase to her home in Ripon, for the Walking With The Wounded charity campaign.

She said the longest distance she had previously run was eight miles, so the half-marathon would be challenging.

Flt Sgt Swinscoe, 44, who aims to raise about £500, said: “There are many causes that you see pop up all over the place and getting people to raise funds or awareness is so much harder these days.

"I have a huge amount of admiration for those who have overcome injury and trauma - pushing themselves to the very limit and that deserves my support."

She will be joined by physical training instructor Sergeant Greg MacDonald for the first nine miles of the journey before going their separate ways for the Christmas break.

Media and communications assistant Jon Sibley, of Bedale, will walk to and from the base for three days, covering more than 11 miles a day and will be joined by community careers liaison officer, Squadron Leader Brian Ramsey, while Squadron Leader Alfie Hall, 607 (County of Durham) Squadron, will walk 38 miles over four days, representing his daily journey to the workplace.

For details about the campaign, visit walkingwiththewounded.org.uk/