A TEAM of current and former army personnel will attempt to bear crawl 26.2 miles across Bournemouth beach for charity.

The gruelling challenge, taking place on August 30, will raise money for Combat Stress, the UK’s leading charity for veterans’ mental health.

The team will work in relay, only able to place their hands and feet on the floor.

Led by 30-year-old Mercian infantryman and physical training instructor Rome Wilkinson, the team includes 31-year-old ex-Lance Corporal Shaun Young, who served with Rome in Afghanistan, 33-year-old Corporal Johny Lambe, who is also still serving within the Mercian Regiment, and 37-year-old civilian friend Reece Jones.

The men had come together after Rome lost a friend to suicide.

Rome said: “After a friend of mine took his own life, I wanted to do something to help prevent losing more mates and others in the military community in the same way.

"When I told the lads what I wanted to do each year they were all immediately on board and we haven’t looked back.

“I picked this challenge as this year is the team’s fifth charity event and I wanted to make it the worst one yet, as physically demanding as possible, to mark the occasion.

“I’ve had some funny looks while training – crawling on a treadmill in a public gym – and I expect we will get even more as we tackle the beach. But we’ll probably be in too much discomfort to notice.

“The effort will be more than worth it if we can help even one person struggling with their mental health.”

Since 2020, the team have raised over £17,000 for Combat Stress by completing a serious of fundraising challenges, including box jumping the height of Mount Everest and dragging a Land Rover for a marathon.

Robert Marsh, director of fundraising at Combat Stress, said: “We are incredibly grateful to Rome and his team for taking on such a gruelling endurance challenge. To complete a marathon is impressive enough, but to do so in this fashion is truly staggering.

“We wish them the very best of luck for August 30. Their efforts, and the money they will raise, will go a long way in helping us to continue providing our specialist treatment to those veterans in need.”

The team are hoping to finish the challenge in two days.