A GROUP of friends and workmates have taken part in a new year challenge set by a colleague.

Gordon Eddy, from the County Durham Youth Offending Service, challenged staff to take part in a sea dip for the Great North Air Ambulance Service.

Yesterday, 14 colleagues took the plunge at Seaham Harbour, on the snowbound County Durham coast.

They hope to raise up to £2,000 for the charity.

Mr Eddy said: “I have done a dip before when I was in the police force and I said we should do something like that to help the air ambulance, which provides a marvellous service with no public funding. We must be mad, but it is for a good cause.”

Mr Eddy thanked Seaham Harbour Dock Company for its support and private ambulance company EMS, which provided paramedics to oversee the event.