SIX officers from Wiltshire Constabulary are to try to climb the three highest mountains in Britain in 24 hours to raise money for the Wiltshire Air Ambulance appeal.

Matt Fox, a police constable based at Devizes, has assembled a team of colleagues including Chris Fairbairn, Jonathon Fairbairn, Jenny Morison, Louis Bowden and Mark Welch to take on the Three Peaks Challenge on June 19 and 20.

This will involve them in walking and climbing Scafell Pike, at 978m the highest peak in England, Ben Nevis in Scotland, the highest mountain in Britain at 1,344m, and Mt Snowdon in Wales, at a mere 1,085m a total height of 3,050m.

They will be supported by a driving team of Mike and Gay Morison and former police traffic officer Jerry Fox, whose job it will be to get them from one mountain to the next.

Matt Fox said: "We have been training hard for this, as we are all well aware that conditions can be treacherous in these regions, with snow known to fall on Ben Nevis in June.

"But we are all confident we will succeed and hope to raise as much as we can for the air ambulance."

Mary Laing, the administrator of the air ambulance appeal, said: "We are extremely pleased that our officers are working hard to raise money for the Wiltshire Air Ambulance.

"We have to raise around £320,000 a year to keep the air ambulance flying and I would like to wish them good luck with their challenge."

The intrepid group already have corporate sponsorship from a local driving company called Peak Performance, but they would welcome support from other companies or individuals.

If you would like to sponsor them, contact PC Fox at Devizes police station on (01380) 722141 or e-mail matthew.fox@wiltshire.pnn.police.uk