A CHARITY trek along the 40-mile length of the Normandy beaches by six north Worcestershire police officers has raised more than a thousand pounds for the Royal British Legion.

The officers involved, PCs Mike Roberts, Tim Burling, Steve Yapp, Liz Rutter, Richard Leek and Ian Sweeney, had hoped to raise £1,000 from the hike, which was undertaken to commemorate Remembrance Day, and they were thrilled to smash their target by raising £1,125.

The group set out from Pegasus Bridge, near Caen, on October 2 and followed the route of Sword, Juno, Gold and Omaha beaches on the way to finishing at Utah landing beach three days later.

PC Roberts is based at Hagley police station and PC Burling at Rubery police station, with the remainder at Bromsgrove.

PC Roberts took part in the walk as a way of saying thank you to the legion. His grandfather was a war veteran and the organisation had helped modify his grandparents' home.

PC Yapp is the legion's deputy standard bearer, as well as West Mercia Constabulary's force standard bearer at Remembrance parades.

PC Burling is a World War Two history enthusiast who has researched the Normandy landings, and PC Sweeney was in the Royal Navy for six years before joining the police.

In addition to the £1,125 raised through the walk, the team has given a bike donated by Halfords to the Royal British Legion to raffle off.

PC Yapp said: "We'd like to thank the 1st Kidderminster Girls' and Boys Brigades for loaning us their minibus for the trip, Brittany Ferries and Tesco in Kidderminster for their support and Halfords in Bromsgrove for giving us the bike and for the donations from their staff and union members.

"The money will be going to the Kidderminster branch of the Royal British Legion, which has raised £20,000 through the 2007 poppy appeal - £5,000 up on last year. The money will be put to good use locally and nationally, helping servicemen injured and killed in conflicts including the Falklands War, as well as the world wars, and their families."