POLICE officers will be spending a night behind bars in a haunted prison to raise money for good causes.

Officers from Durham and Cleveland forces are coming together to spend the night at Birmingham’s Steelhouse Lane Lock-up, a Victorian mini-prison that is steeped in history and home to paranormal activity.

They are raising money for Care of Police Survivors (COPS) - a charity dedicated to helping the families of police officers who have lost their lives on duty rebuild their lives.

They will also raise funds for the West Midlands Police Museum, which will use the money raised to help relocate the lock-up and deliver inputs to children on different issues.

Durham officers, PCs Ross Burnham and Dave Brawn, and PCSOs Lisa Hall, Chris Jung and Ashley Marsden will join Cleveland Police’s PC Chris Green for the challenge on February 8. They are taking part in the event in their own time.

It is part of a national fundraising campaign, which aims to raise £50,000 to be split between both charities.

PCSO Hall from Durham Constabulary said: “We are all extremely proud to be taking part in this event and represent Durham and Cleveland police service. COPS is a compassionate and vital charity that is very dear to us. The work being carried out to restore and make Steelhouse Lane prison an educational setting preserves a valuable insight into the country’s history, securing it for future generations to enjoy and learn from.”

PC Chris Green from Cleveland Police, said: “COPS does some amazing work in helping those left behind when officers sadly lose their lives on duty. I hope that we can get plenty of support and raise as much as we possibly can.”

To donate, visit chuffed.org/fundraiser/lockup-lockin-8330