STAFF at the University of Worcester will take on a gruelling 85-mile trek along one of Britain’s most historic landmarks.

The group aim to complete the Hadrian’s Wall Walk, a four-day expedition from Segedunum, near Newcastle, to Bowness-on-Solway, to the west of Carlisle.

They hope to raise at least £5,000 for the University’s chosen charity of the year for 2016, the Maggs Day Centre, a Worcester-based charity that helps the city’s homeless.

Nine teams of up to four walkers from the university have signed up to the challenge, which could see teams walk an average 10 hours a day.

They will start on Friday, July 29 and must finish by midday on Monday August 1.

Walkers will follow the route of both the lost and remaining sections of the Roman wall.

Teams are from a range of departments; facilities, finance, the University of Worcester Arena, health and wellbeing, communications, human resources and from the University and Worcestershire County Council’s joint library The Hive.

A team from the Maggs Day Centre will also join them.

A support crew from the security department trained in first aid and a physiotherapy team from the University’s Institute of Sport will be on hand to help the walkers.

Tom Taylor, the University’s assistant director of security and operations, has played a major role in organising the event.

The former warrant officer, who previously served 24 years in the army, said: “It will be a challenge of endurance more than anything.

“You have got to pace yourself. You have got to plan your routes.

“I’m really proud of how the University staff have come together and how much time and effort they have put into their training and planning.

“There has been a lot of camaraderie and it is nice to see people pulling together for a good cause.”

To sponsor the University’s Hadrian’s Wall Walk visit http://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/universityofworcester