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BBC team takes red nose on Comic Relief hill tour

Tim Page
BBC News, West Midlands
BBC Two men and two women, wearing branded "Big Breakfast Roll" T-shirts, stand in front of the Devil's Chair rocks on Stiperstones. They are surrounded by heather and scrub under a blue sky. There is a large "red nose" made of bouncy castle fabric, which the group have pushed up the hill.BBC
The four, with their 30kg (4st 10lb) red nose, reached their first peak at about 07:30 GMT

A team from BBC Radio Shropshire has finished a 12-hour challenge to reach the top of the county's three highest peaks, taking with them a huge Comic Relief red nose.

Presenter Adam Green, newsreader Carlie Swain and producers Tim Barnes and Michaela Wylde set off shortly after 06:00 GMT on Thursday.

They conquered the Stiperstones, Brown Clee and Titterstone Clee, to help support the charity appeal.

Reaching the first peak in the early morning sun, Green said: "We've done it. That's the best view we'll see for a long time!"

After descending from the summit and loading the "nose", a 5ft (1.5m) red ball stuffed with soft filling, into a van, the team met a cheering crowd at Clee Hill Primary School where they completed a mile-long (1.6km) relay on the school field.

As pupils cheered "red nose, red nose" to greet the crew, headteacher Ceri Little said: "We have a running club at the school. Eight laps of the field is one mile, so we're going to be following you round."

A red and white balloon arch in front of a demountable classroom on the school field. A crowd of children is lining the route.
Children at Clee Hill Primary School joined the team for a relay on the school field

Reaching the second peak at about 11:15, the team said they were "sweaty, grimy and tired", but were ready for the third and final peak – the tallest in the county.

On their descent, however, they began to struggle with the giant ball, which they had affectionately named Steve.

"He is losing shape fast," said Barnes.

"It is becoming more and more like pushing a giant beanbag, so it's getting harder and harder as we go.

"Even downhill, we're now having to push him."

Tim Barnes has short brown hair and is wearing a red headband. He is taking a selfie on top of a hill. In the background are Adam Green, who has a large beard and is wearing red and white, Carlie Swain, who is standing behind a large red ball with her thumb up, and Michaela Wylde, who is crouched beside the ball with her arm in the air.
The group reached the peak of Clee Hill at about 11:15 GMT

Minutes before their finish time goal at 18:00, the team made it to the top of Brown Clee Hill.

According to the Shropshire Outdoor Partnerships Service, there are no hills higher to the east until you reach the Urals in Russia.

The achievement was marked with cheers of delight.

"This team have been incredible... absolutely amazing," said Green.

Barnes added: "That last bit was one of the hardest things I have ever done in my life; that was excruciating."

Green continued: "We've had so many people come and say well done and actually come and find us in the wilds of Shropshire and support us and put money in our donation buckets."

"This is like being on another planet, stood here now... this is worth every step."

Four people stand on top of a large hill that looks out across an expanse of land. There is a huge red ball on a podium between them.
The team reached the final peak just before 18:00 GMT

The challenge was the latest in a series undertaken by the presenter and his colleagues for the appeal in previous years.

They have previously taken various forms of red noses up the Wrekin and around it in rickshaws.

Green has also faced 1,000 penalty kicks and undertaken 24 different sports in 24 hours.

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