Five friends are getting ready to run from Exmoor to Dartmoor to raise hundreds of pounds for Parkinson’s UK.

St John’s students Luke Shields, Tom Knighton, Ayrton Jimenez, Jonnie Rendell and George Havill are taking part in the gruelling 90-mile Coast to Coast Challenge in July.

They have chosen to run for Parkinson’s UK because Ayrton’s 74-year-old grandfather, Mike Aldridge, has the degenerative disorder.

Luke said: “We’ve wanted to do a big challenge for quite a while but we didn’t know what. Then just before Christmas Ayrton and Jonnie came up with the idea to do this run and we all thought it was a great idea.

“For me this is the biggest challenge I’ve ever done but Tom and Jonnie have done a 160-mile bike ride before. I’m quite sporty though so hopefully I’ll be up to it.

“There’s a training group with Marlborough Athletics on Wednesdays and we’re going jogging after school.”

The boys, aged 15 and 16, will complete the journey over the course of five days, staying in hostels along the way.

Luke said: “I am a bit nervous but I’m quite excited.

“I think regardless of how much money we raise it will be good fun and we’ll have a good time completing the challenge with each other.

“We’ve had a mixed response from people – some people think we are mad and others have said it’s a fantastic thing to do.

“Some of our friends don’t think we’ll do it and they’ve said if we do manage it they’ll give us £20.”

They are hoping to raise £750 for the charity. To sponsor them, visit www.justgiving .com/CoastToCoastStJohns