COME hell or high water, nothing can stop York’s soldiers from raising money for the Help For Heroes appeal.

Eleven members of the 2nd Signals Regiment have conquered the floods of Cumbria and are now trekking across the roof of England in rainy, windy conditions, to the North Sea at Newcastle.

They are hoping their 136-mile coast-to-coast march will raise about £5,000 for the appeal.

“We are renowned for walking and covering distances,” said Robert Brown, speaking from the hills near Penrith as he and his colleagues climbed the Pennines with high winds and heavy rain forecast to start within hours. “It’s a really good challenge for anyone to do 30 miles.”

They started their challenge with a street collection in York city centre which raised about £3,000 and sponsorship from family and friends is expected to raise another £2,000.

Then all they had to do was complete the march from Whitehaven on the west coast of England to Newcastle on the east, walking up to 27 miles a day.

Even the torrential downpour that drowned parts of Workington and Cockermouth and brought bridges down in Cumbria failed to deter the gallant 11, who set out, as planned, on Saturday and kept on schedule as they crossed the flooded county including going through flood-hit Keswick.

They were in high spirits when they spoke to The Press and hope to finish in Newcastle on Friday at lunchtime.