A MUCKY challenge saw Dorchester students raise £1,912 for the air ambulance.

Twenty four students from Kingston Maurward raised the money for the life-saving service through their annual muckspreading charity challenge – dubbed the ‘Muckathon’.

The level three extended diploma in agriculture students are tasked to spread, plough and cultivate 55 acres of land over two days using machinery and equipment kindly loaned by agricultural dealers, contractors, farmers and the college.

The competition, now in its twelfth year, was supported by sixteen companies and embraced by the students who raised funds individually.

The pupils raised cash via sponsorship, street collections in Dorchester, a ‘guess the name of the lamb’ competition at the college lambing weekend, selling hot dogs to students and a cake sale at the Kingston Maurward Association ploughing match.

Student Hilary Hansford said: “Despite the Muckathon requiring a large amount of organisation and logistics, everyone worked well as a team, which helped ensure that the event was a great success and raised money for a very worthy cause.”

The students would like to thank all the companies and supporters that kindly contributed to make the Muckathon a success.

These supporters include Smart Agricultural Services, Redlynch Agricultural Engineering, Vaughan Agri, Buglers, MJ Fry Agricultural Engineering, Highwood, CJ Cox, Pro-ag Services, Richard Curley, Bernard Cox, M Watkins, Ford Fuel Oils, Pearce Energy, WP Group, Darch Oil and the college.