TEENAGERS undertaking a mammoth 24-hour ice-skate are among fundraisers raising money for Comic Relief in Flintshire today.

Ryan Corbett, 16, decided he wanted to help transform lives across the UK and Africa by getting involved in Red Nose Day.

A keen ice-skater, he decided to turn his hobby into a sponsored event and as of 6pm yesterday he and nine friends have been skating around Deeside Leisure Centre.

“At first we thought we would do 1,000 laps of the rink and then staff at the leisure centre suggested a 24-hour skate would be a better idea,” said Ryan, from Shotton.

“We start at 6pm on Thursday and will skate until 7pm on Friday. We have a break for an hour at 10pm while ice hockey players use the rink.”

Aside from the interval the group of 10 teenagers will only have five-minute breaks to refuel on food and drink.

“We will make sure we have at least seven on the ice at any one time. We’ll be awake for the whole thing,” said Ryan, a pupil at Mold Alun School.

“There’s a group of us from five or six schools and all our schools have given permission for us to have the day off on Friday.

“I think it will be pretty tough, especially since we’re starting in the evening after a day at school. We’ll have been up for about 36 hours by the time we finish.

“We’re going to the shops before we go to get a crate of caffeine drinks to keep our energy levels up.”

Elsewhere in Flintshire a charity wrestling event is being held at Deeside Naval Club in Connah’s Quay. Featuring wrestlers from the junior section of Basix
Wrestling training school, the event starts at 7pm.

Schools across Flintshire will also be doing their bit to raise cash today, including pupils at Ysgol Estyn in Hope who have come to school in their pyjamas.

To sponsor Ryan and his friends contact Leader reporter Helen Davies on 01352 707658.

To donate to Comic Relief go to www.rednoseday.com/donate.