THERE was a little light relief for the members of the county’s tank regiment after they completed a charity fun run.

The Queen’s Royal Hussars (QRH), who recruit across Worcestershire, are currently in barracks in Germany getting their Challenger Two battle tanks ready for the firing ranges and gruelling training grounds of Canada.

However, to ease some of the burden on the troops, the unit held a fancy dress fun run in aid of the Royal British Legion.

Entrants included two men dressed – unsurprisingly – as a tank, two men dressed as a fishing boat and another wearing a full Scooby-Doo outfit.

The run followed the annual celebration of Balaclava Day in which officers and the regimental sergeant major serve the ranking soldiers sandwiches and ‘gunfire’ – tea with whiskey.

QRH spokesman Lieutenant Harry Mossop said: “It was an impromptu fun run. Those of the regiment who were there in fancy dress paid five euros each to enter and all money raised went to the Royal British Legion.

“Normally the lieutenant colonel’s run is every Friday and it’s a hard run taken quite seriously, so this was a way of making it a less hard week and a bit more attractive to the lads.”

Last month, the unit was celebrating after finding out that it was to keep its Challenger Two battle tanks following a shake up of how the British Army is organised.

Lt Mossop said: “We’re chuffed. This makes us something of an elite now among the British Army.”