FIVE fit fire officers have not only completed the nation's Three Peaks Challenge but each won a gold medal for their efforts.

The men, from County Durham and Darlington's Fire and Rescue Brigade's headquarters, were delighted to have raised over £800 from the testing 24-hour challenge.

At an informal ceremony, the men handed over £784 to the Treetops children's ward at the University Hospital of Durham with a further £40 going to the Fire Service National Benevolent Fund.

Each year, fire officers from around the country take part in the British Fire Service Three Peaks Summer Challenge.

The event requires teams to complete 21 miles of hiking, 18,786 vertical feet of ascent and descent, and 500 miles of driving between the three highest mountains in Scotland, England and Wales - Ben Nevis, Scafell Pike and Snowdon.

The event must be completed within 24 hours and the County Durham team was back at base camp within 18 hours and 23 minutes earning Gary Bankhead, John Robson, Phil Ward, Chris Williams and Paul Hopwood a gold medal each.

Gary said that this year, with temperatures reaching 23C, the event had been particularly testing.

Next year, organisers are planning to present platinum medals to any teams managing to complete the challenge in less than 17 hours and 30 minutes.

And while Gary and his team members readily admitted that the challenge was a difficult one, they all agreed they can't wait for next year and that lure of platinum.