PCs to take on Three Peaks Challenge for charity

PC Paige Attwood and PC Leah Smith will take on the three peaks challenge in June

Two police officers will be scaling the highest mountains in England, Scotland and Wales to raise money for charity.

PC Paige Attwood and PC Leah Smith from Staffordshire Police will be undertaking the Three Peaks Challenge from 14 to 16 June.

The pair will ascend Ben Nevis, Scafell Pike and Yr Wyddfa, also known as Snowdon, in aid of mental health charity Mind, which works alongside Police Care UK to support retired police officers.

PC Attwood said that despite one in four people suffering from mental health issues, most do not get the help they need.

"As police officers, we attend jobs involving mental health problems almost every shift. Most of these are where people are at crisis point and are requesting help," she said.

"We are great at giving advice and providing that help and assistance for those in need, but, in the process, we often neglect our own mental health."

The officers will scale Ben Nevis as well as Yr Wyddfa and Scafell Pike

PC Smith said people, including officers, needed to get better at asking for help.

She added: "It's easy to forget the amount of traumatic incidents we witness during our daily jobs. Some of these incidents can have lasting effects on officers' mental health."

The officer said the support offered by organisations like Mind were invaluable.

"We are only too happy to undertake this challenge, in order to raise money to help them to continue their good work," she said.