SOLDIERS from Wattisham Airfield were taking a well-deserved rest today after completing three marathon events in aid of charity.More than 100 volunteers from the Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers (REME) workshop at 3 Regiment Army Air Corps, attempted to climb Everest and cycling the length of Britain in Ipswich town centre on Saturday.

SOLDIERS from Wattisham Airfield were taking a well-deserved rest today after completing three marathon events in aid of charity.

More than 100 volunteers from the Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers (REME) workshop at 3 Regiment Army Air Corps, attempted to climb Everest and cycling the length of Britain in Ipswich town centre on Saturday.

Starting at 9am the team planned to climb 29,000 feet on a step machine, pedal 874 miles on exercise bicycles and swim 26 miles, the length of the English Channel, at the airfield's pool by 4pm.

The men were being sponsored to raise money for Cancer UK and Ipswich Hospital's Somersham Ward and had been training for a month for the challenge.

The charities were chosen in recognition of the staff who looked after their colleague, 37-year-old Mick Fraser, when he was diagnosed with cancer last year.

He has recently finished his last course of chemotherapy and is expected to be back with the regiment in the new year.

Major Bradley Fitzsimmons said: "Mick Fraser received first class treatment from the staff at the Somersham Ward.

"Raising money for them is our way of thanking them and hopefully they will be able to help a lot more people who need them."