STUDENTS took to their tractors to take part in a charity 24-hour 'Muckathon.'

Kingston Maurward College students spread muck and then ploughed and cultivated fields to raise money for the Dorset and Somerset Air Ambulance last week.

Over the 24 hours the students set out to cultivate 24 hectares of farmland near Stinsford.

The group set to work at 8am on Thursday and worked through the day.

Despite initially setting out to work through the night, due to health and safety the students called it a day at about midnight and finished the work in the morning.

The project was almost completely organised and put on by the group of second year level three Extended Diploma in Agriculture students.

The air ambulance is a key service in the farming community to keep people safe in remote locations.

One of the students behind the event, Liam Rawson, explained why.

He said: “It’s vital to people in the farming community. If anything happens on a farm it’s often quite serious so the air ambulance have to come out and do the pick-up.”

Even before the event had begun, the students had managed to raise almost £1,000 for the charity with two collection days in Dorchester.

Liam said the event went as well as could be expected.

He said: "It went fantastically. It went like clockwork almost."

Rose Shave-Smythies, one of the students involved in the project spent the day in the tractors, doing the work on the farm.

She hoped they could go even further than last year's team and surpass the fundraising total.

She said: “It’s been really good and it’s been great to raise some money for the air ambulance.

“Last year they raised about £2,000 and I hope we beat that.”

As well as raising money for a worthy cause, the project helps out a local farmer whose land will be ready for maize planting thanks to the students' help.

Some of the students have been driving tractors their entire lives but some, like Rose, had only been doing so since the start of the course.

The fundraisers enjoyed a BBQ as they set about the task during which was made that bit easier by the sunny conditions.

The fundraising was only possible thanks to donations from local firms and fuel from local energy company Pearce Energy.

Rose said: “They’ve given us enough to get through the day. Without the fuel you can’t really do anything can you?”

Anyone wanting to support the students and donate to the air ambulance can do so by visiting dsairambulance.org.uk/how-tohelp/donate