THERE were a lot of soldiers hanging around at Richmond Castle this weekend - but it was all for a good cause.

Four teams of 40 spent most of Saturday abseiling from the top of the tower in aid of Bedale's Mowbray School for children with special needs.

By the time recruits and instructors from Catterick Garrison's Infantry Training Centre had finished, they had covered a distance equivalent to a descent of Everest.

However, it will be a little while before they know how much they raised.

"It would be great if we've managed to reach £1,000 but it's going to be a few days yet before we have a final total," said Captain Will Kramer