A team of police officers are getting ready to brave a gruelling assault course through icy waters and a field of electrified wires to raise money for charity.

Nicknamed Running on Blues, the 12 officers will be put through their paces in the 12-mile Tough Mudder challenge on June 9.

The obstacle course has been specially designed by US and British Special Forces, comprising of physical and mental challenges including running through a trench of burning straw and crawling in a muddy pit under barbed wire just eight inches off the ground.

The officers, who are based at Colindale Police Station, are hoping to raise hundreds of pounds for Clic Sargeant, which supported PC John Chapman and his family when his four-year-old daughter Holly was diagnosed with cancer three years ago. 

PC Chapman, who will be rooting for the team in June, said: “Clic Sargeant was a massive help to me and my wife – they helped us get financial support and provided a place to stay near the hospital Holly was in.

"I’m overwhelmed the team are doing this to support the charity. We really appreciate what they’re doing - it's fantastic.”

The cash will also be split with The Brompton Fountain, which provided 19-month-old Leo Braybrooke’s parents with a place to stay when he was diagnosed with a rare heart condition at just seven weeks old.

PC James Mathews, who is Leo’s second cousin, said: “When I first sent out an email to everyone asking if they wanted to take part I was expecting maybe three or four people– but to get 12 is just amazing. It was a no-brainer deciding which charities to support – we hope we can raise a lot of money for both of them.

“We’ve been getting together whenever we can and training together. Everyone’s trying to trim up because we know it’s going to be pretty gruelling.”

To sponsor the team visit: www.justgiving.com/teams/runningonblues