TEAMWORK and determination are all in a day's work for most air ambulance paramedics but this weekend a group will take on a test of endurance too.

An eight member group from Midlands Air Ambulance will tackle the Birmingham Half Marathon wearing their weighty fire retardant flight suits and carrying two medical bags weighing over 70 pounds between them.

The Flying Red Runners have taken on the challenge to hopefully raise £2,500 for the Midlands Air Ambulance which relies solely on donations to cover its £6million annual operational costs.

Stephen Mason, who works part time for MAA based at Strensham and part time for at the ambulance hub in Spetchley Road, Worcester, will be one of those taking part on Sunday.

Running alongside him will be Olly Ayles, Dave Bentley, Richard Apps, Laura Rogers, Greg Ambler, Ian Lock and Fay Pollock.

Mr Mason said: "One of my colleagues came up with the idea of running in flight suits and then we were joking about carrying the bags then the next minute it's a plan.

"We have all been training and most of us have done half marathons before in around one and a half hours but we are expecting this to take about three hours.

"I'm used to doing weighted runs in the army but it is going to be a new thing to us all on the day and I think it will be a bit emotional when we pass the finish line.

"We are used to having to get to patients or carry patients over stiles or uneven ground but not as far as 13.1 miles."

The group will be running together and also taking collection buckets around with them to bolster their fundraising efforts.

Mr Mason, aged 38 and a flight paramedic, said: "Midlands Air Ambulance is not government or lottery funded, all the money comes from people donating and local businesses.

"It is important to keep us in the air because we cover six counties and on average over the three bases we have eight missions a day and it costs around £2,000 every time we're called out.

"On average it costs around £6million a year for all the staff and aircrafts which is a lot of money to get from sponsorship.

"We like to do as much as we can to let people see what we do and it is important to raise the profile of the Midlands Air Ambulance too."

Anyone wishing to sponsor the team can do so online at www.justgiving.com/G-ambler.