NINE Halesowen friends will become hell runners later this month as they tackle an endurance cross country challenge to raise money for a cancer charity.

Andy Westwood and his team mates were driven to take part of the 12-mile Brooks Hell Runner event in Leicestershire on Saturday April 26 after their friend James Hingley was struck down with Hodgkin’s lymphoma.

Adding to the heartache, the 25-year-old, of Woodbury Road, Halesowen, became dad to a baby girl, Alithia, who is now four months old around the time of his diagnosis.

Mr Westwood, a 33-year-old corporate banker of Huntingtree Road, said they had raised £1,500 so far, but hope to collect even more for Leukaemia and Lymphoma Research.

He said, as the only charity in the UK dedicated to finding better treatments and cures for blood cancers, it was very close to their hearts.

Two of the group, Andy Hipwood and Emily Googenheim have completed Hell Runner challenges in the past, but the rest of the team are novices.

Mr Westwood, whose last cross country was as a schoolboy 20 years ago, said they will face gruelling terrain including the Bog of Doom and Hills of Hell along the off road course at Belvoir Castle He added: “We will push ourselves along and drag each other over the hills, but we will complete it.”

Anyone wishing to add to their total can do so at www.virginmoneygiving.com/team/supporting_a_ginger