A GROUP of Staffordshire University students did their bit for Red Nose day by walking 20 miles through mud, rain and gale force winds.

Ten students encouraged friends and families to sponsor them on a gruelling five-hour walk along the Caldon canal in Staffordshire, through uneven terrain and wild weather, raising over £150 for Comic Relief. 

Nicola Jackson, 20, organiser of the walk, on Sunday March 8, said: “I was worried nobody would turn up. I was going to postpone it because of the rain, but people started turning up on my doorstep with their huge umbrellas and silly outfits, so we just went for it”. 

The walk was supposed to be a straightforward journey along the canal, to attract attention and gain sponsors along the way. But, due to poor weather conditions, it took the group five-and-a-half gruelling hours to complete the walk from Hanley Park, Stoke, to Market Square, in the centre of Leek.

The students said the weather was a hindrance to their walk, but that it added to the overall experience.

Martin Gooding said: “I wasn't exactly dressed for the weather, I fell in the mud twice, but it was so funny and I wasn't giving up”.

Matt Nichols, another student, added: “It was good fun. I'm very pleased I did it. It was very tough in parts but it was for a good cause”.

Comic Relief is the charity responsible for Red Nose Day, which is broadcast live on the BBC every two years. The event attempts to raise awareness of the charity, whilst raising as much money as possible to help end extreme poverty and injustice.

The sponsored walk has raised £150 so far, but organisers hope to raise more by asking around campus for donations before sending the money in to the charity.

For more information on Comic Relief, and other local fundraising events, click here.