POLICE in riot gear have walked up a mountain to raise money for the Matt Ratana Rugby Foundation.

The group of six police officers wanted to show their support for the foundation by walking ten miles on the Pyg track up Mount Snowdon in Wales.

The walk was made harder for the group as they decided to wear full riot gear for their journey. Despite this added physical challenge to compete with the group managed to complete the walk in under five hours.

PC Nick Fox, group leader on the walk, said: “We decided to climb the Pyg track on Snowdon with an aim to complete it and be up and down in five hours in full riot gear.

The Argus: Police officers at the top of Mount Snowdon.Police officers at the top of Mount Snowdon.

“A challenge that has not been tried before and certainly not completed in 5 hours. The physicality of this challenge would not have been lost on Matt Ratana.”

The Matt Ratana Rugby Foundation was set up in memory of Sergeant Matt Ratana to help promote grass roots rugby in the UK and abroad. Sgt Ratana lived in Worthing, but was shot and killed in a police custody facility in Croydon in September last year.

The police officers work at Stoke Newington Police Station, a station where Sgt Ratana used to work.

The officers have raises £4,844 for the foundation so far. The money will go towards helping troubled young people, engage in fulfilling and meaningful sporting activities such as rugby and boxing.

The Argus: Matt RatanaMatt Ratana

Nick said: “The Matt Ratana Rugby Foundation is a fantastic organisation that will put the money we raise towards working with youths from the New Addington Estate.

“They will provide opportunities for kids to focus their efforts on boxing and then hopefully transition into rugby a sport that Matt was so passionate about.”

Rugby was a big part of Sgt Ratana's life and he coached the sport in both Hove and East Grinstead. The foundation have organised two rugby matches in August which will see two teams, one men’s team and one ladies team, representing the Matt Ratana Rugby Foundation playing two Police teams be played to raise money.