A GROUP from Thornbury has demonstrated the power of perseverance after braving a gruelling assault course to raise more than £2,000 for charity.

Fundraising for diabetes charity JDRF, the 39-strong team dubbed “The Big, The Old and The Ugly” ranged from 18 to 55 years old.

Together, they faced obstacles including monkey bars over ice-cold water and 20ft vertical walls for “The Dirty Dozen”, a 12km race in Monmouthshire, despite many of the group having never done anything like it before.

“There was such a mixture of ability and experience in the group,” said group organiser Sean Underwood, who had lost six stone in as many months training for the event.

“We ranged from marathon runners to those who had never even run a mile before, so the aim was to simply make it to the end.”

The team met at the start to collect their fluorescent green team t-shirts, a colour which wouldn’t last in the conditions they were set to face.

Setting off together, the group eventually break up into ability groups among the heat of 200 people, with one of the men even winning the heat outright, but all members made it to the end, with times ranging from one hour and 40 minutes to three hours and 40 minutes.

Mr Underwood said: “It was great at the start, we all turned up with many collecting our group t-shirts and with everyone keen to get going it was quite a fun atmosphere.

“With there being so many of us, and all starting in the same wave, we really stood out.

“Although everyone was tired at the end, they were buzzing. It is a hilly course and some had never even run a mile before, so for all of us to make it to the end was incredible.

“Getting up the high walls was the hardest bit for me, but everyone faced their own challenges, and the fact we are still collecting sponsorship money and our total is still growing, meant that every bit of the race was worth it!”