Some of the first firefighters on the scene of the tragic Grenfell Tower blaze will run an entire marathon - wearing their full firefighting gear - to raise money for charity.

Just when you thought they were heroes enough already, nine firefighters from A21 Paddington Red Watch will don 30 kilos of kit to tackle the 26.2-mile race.

The nine firefighters, within the London Fire Brigade (LFB), were all on the scene at the horrific Grenfell Tower inferno on June 14, which left 71 dead.

They will be taking on the challenge of the 2018 Virgin London Marathon, on April 22, to raise £25,000 for charities that have supported bereaved families and firefighting colleagues.

'A hugely traumatic event for anyone involved'

On their JustGiving Page, the A21 Paddington Red Watch wrote: "Whilst we, alongside all of our LFB colleagues did our upmost that night we were unable to fully prevent the tragic events that unfolded.

"It has been well published the huge loss of life that occurred that night and afterwards, with total number of fatalities still not yet confirmed.

"Not to mention all of the residents and families from the tower that have had to be moved into temporary accommodation with no belongings.

"This was a hugely traumatic event for anyone involved.

Firefighters need your help to reach their £25,000 target

"As firefighters who attended the incident the aftermath has been a challenging time for us all, both physically and emotionally and we have depended on the support of our colleagues, the organisation and The Fire Fighters Charity.

"As a watch we wanted to do something extra to raise money for the victims and families of the Grenfell Tower fire, alongside The Fire Fighters Charity who have offered ongoing support to the firefighters who have suffered with issues with injury or PTSD following the fire."

The team-of-nine will be running in full firefighting gear and breathing apparatus - weighing in at 30kg.

All funds raised will be split equally between The Fire Fighters Charity, and two organisations at the "heart of the Grenfell community" - The Harrow Club and the Rugby Portobello Trust.

Firefighters will run the marathon wearing full kit and breathing apparatus

The A21 Paddington Red Watch continued: "The Harrow Club provide local young people with accessible and high quality opportunities, enabling them to maximise their life chances and to enhance their personal development.

"Following the Grenfell Tower fire they have worked tirelessly to support the areas younger generation and offer a range of activities for all young people.

"Rugby Portobello Trust has been delivering services to the local community for over 15 years as RPT and over 100 years under other names.

"They continue to support the rehousing of residents following the Grenfell Tower fire and also offer a range of services from parenting support to a community cafe.

"The Fire Fighters Charity actively support firefighters in need. Whether injured, ill or in need of psychological support to come to terms with the life and death situations we face on a daily basis, they exist to support the everyday heroes of the UK fire community.

"Any support you can offer, no matter how small, will be greatly appreciated and we will make sure it goes directly to the victims and families of the Grenfell Tower community with the help of our chosen charities. Together with The Fire Fighters Charity."

To donate, visit the A21 Paddington Red Watch JustGiving page.

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