A TEAM of ten veteran runners worked together to beat the category record for a notoriously difficult fell challenge.

The Helm Hill V40 group took on the Billy Bland Challenge and managed to oust the record-holding Keswick team, beating their time by 15 minutes.

The Helm Hill lads completed the 24-hour course in 14 hours and 20 minutes, despite the bad weather.

The Billy Bland Challenge relay is based on the five legs of the 24-hour Bob Graham Round, starting and finishing at the Moot Hall in Keswick. It covers 66 miles and 28,000 feet of climbing and 42 peaks.

Teams of runners try to beat the solo time set by legendary fell runner Billy Bland, which stands at 13 hours 53 minutes and was set on June 19 1982.

The challenge is open to all teams of 10, split into five pairs. Each of the pairs is designated one of the five legs and a baton is passed from one team to the next.

Kieran Hodgson, one of the Helm Hill team, said: "It was a roller-coaster day due to the weather and it made for an exciting and nail-biting finale as the leg four runners came in giving our last pair just 1 hour 45 to get back to Keswick. They smashed it."