SOLDIERS have been pounding a treadmill since noon knowing every step will help their comrades.

Four members of 23 Pioneer Regiment have been taking turns to run for an hour on a running machine to raise cash for the Army Benevolent Fund.

Each soldier will have jogged a total of 75 kilometres – 300 kilometres between them – in just 30 hours.

Originally, five soldiers were due to complete the challenge, but one had to drop out with an ankle injury meaning the other four had to pick up the slack.

The men set up outside Tesco, in Pingle Drive, starting at noon and are due to finish tomorrow at 6pm.

By the last few kilometres the team hope to have raised thousands of pounds for the charity, which supports soldiers, former servicemen and their families.

Organiser Lance Corporal Thomas Fitzpatrick, 23, who has completed two tours to Afghanistan in 2006 and 2007, started and finished the event.

He said: “There are four of us doing it and we will do one hour on and three hours off.

“By the time it was my turn to come off I couldn’t sleep.

“We are all used to working hours like this and were determined to get on with it.

“We will complete it.

“I think you’ve got to be self motivated and just do it.”

L Cpl Fitzpatrick said generous shoppers had been donating £5 and £10 at a time, and were also buying charity wrist bands.

Troops hope to beat the £5,500 their colleagues raised last year when they completed a 24-hour rowathon.