A JAILBREAK has raised thousands of pounds for wounded servicemen and women.

Staff at the Young Offender Institution on Portland raised £29,000 for Help for Heroes by escaping from Dartmoor Prison.

More than 50 staff from the YOI and a team from the Wyke Smugglers pub took part in the Dartmoor Challenge.

The event, called Hitch For Heroes, saw the teams of six having to stage a ‘great escape’ to get back to the Wyke Regis pub within 48 hours by whatever means they could find, as long as it was free.

Every variety of transport was used to get the teams back including a police van and helicopter, fire engines, scooters, tractors, cars, trains, buses, bicycles, bikes, speed boats, rowing boats, lorries and even an Only Fools And Horses-style Trotter’s Independent Trading three-wheel car.

The teams had hoped to raise about £19,000 but surpassed all estimates to raise £29,000 for the charity, which helps with the rehabilitation of wounded soldiers.

The teams carried buckets with them on their great escape and collected donations as they went.

Before the weekend, various events were organised to raise money including a cake sale, a pub horse race and car washing.

YOI staff did collections in the local supermarkets and got family and friends to sponsor them.

The teams also managed to get sponsorship from the Prison Service Charity Fund and the Prison Officers Association to help them reach their grand total.

Event co-ordinator Roger Davies praised the work of the team and thanked everyone who gave their time and the use of their vehicles for the event.

One team organised a helicopter lift to Cardiff and then went collecting money in the city centre, while Mr Davies’ team organised a police riot van to take them the last mile of the journey.

Other teams went as far as London, Southampton and Plymouth to raise money for the cause.