STUDENTS at a Dorchester college are preparing to get mucky to raise money for a lifesaving charity.

The final year students from the agricultural department of Kingston Maurward will be taking part in the college’s 15th annual Muckathon to raise funds for the Dorset and Somerset Air Ambulance.

Starting from today the group, made up of 18 to 24-year-olds, will put their college skills to the test and spend five days spreading muck, ploughing and cultivating the fields ready for drilling.

Course manager John Lockett said: “Each year the college grows 85 acres of maize for the dairy heard. So, instead of paying a contractor the students essentially have to beg, borrow and steal the equipment they need and instead of paying for that work we donate the money to a charity of the students choice. The students also gather personal sponsorships so there is lots of facets to the fundraising. Hopefully we have trained them to do the job well and the Muckathon offers an opportunity to show off their skills.

The group will spend the first two days collecting equipment and machinery, kindly donated from nearby agricultural business, followed by two days of field work and a final day cleaning down the machines before they are returned.

Student Hannah Place, 24, said: “We have chosen to raise money for the air ambulance as it will be the first port of call for most of us when we are working out in the fields which are not available to get to by road.

“We are hoping to raise £2,500 because we did a bit of research and discovered that is the cost of a one call out, what they call a mission, so we felt we should raise enough to pay for one mission.”

The Muckathon will be the last group exercise for the 19 youngsters on the Level 3 extended Agriculture students before they graduate at the end of the term.

Hannah added: “It has been really good fun organising so far and everyone has really pulled their weight. It has brought us closer as a group, working together for a wonderful cause. We have been together for two years so this is a nice last send off.”

To donate visit www.justgiving.com/fundraising/Hannah-Place2.