Horus 7s from RAF Brize Norton in world record Witney rugby game

Horus 7s, based at RAF Brize Norton, took on a team representing the charity Scotty's Little Soldiers at Witney Rugby Club last weekend, raising thousands of pounds in the process.

The marathon effort started at 5pm on Friday and lasted 24-and-a-half hours, with each team of 10 players racking up thousands of points.

It was the latest in a string of fundraising efforts from Horus, which was set up in 2016 after corporal Rob Bugden was left paralysed from the chest down after a parachuting accident.

A colleague, sergeant Phil Thomas, helped establish a team to allow Mr Bugden to manage Horus and the rugby fan was on the sidelines to watch the world record attempt.

Sgt Thomas said: "The day was quite emotional for all the lads, but the amount of support we had from the community was amazing."

The team already boast one world record, thanks to their 24-hour rugby 7s game with Witney Barbarians in 2017.

Since then, Horus - named after the Egyptian god of air - have taken on several challenges, with this one raising funds for the RAF Benevolent Fund and Scotty's Little Soldiers, which supports the children of fallen servicemen and women.

Horus was first created by Brize-based parachute training school, the Airborne Delivery Wing, so it was apt that the ball was dropped in by parachutists to get the game underway.

A Lancaster Bomber flew over the pitch as part of the celebrations, while food and drink was served throughout.

Players had two-hour shifts on the pitch, with an hour's break in between, while the odd three-hour stint meant some played for 17 hours overall.

They now face a 16-week wait to find out if they have set a new record, with the Guinness World Records team currently verifying the evidence.

Hundreds turned out to support the teams, while sports stars such as Olympic gold-medallist Seb Coe and England rugby coach Eddie Jones sent good luck messages beforehand.

More than £2,000 has already been raised through the Horus 7s JustGiving page, with cash donations expected to double that total.

Sgt Thomas estimated the team has raised £20,000 since Horus was formed and paid tribute to Cpl Bugden's efforts since his accident.

He said: "The rugby is probably the smallest part of what we do. We initially set it up to raise money for the family, but now Rob's deep into his rehab and ready to give back.

"Rob attends all the events and helps with the organisation. He's a hugely motivated and driven bloke."