Young air cadets were put through their paces in cold and wet conditions at the weekend for a 24 hour drill marathon to raise money for squadron funds.

Around 25 members of the 1070 (Diss) Squadron marched miles at their Sunnyside headquarters for the fundraising event, which started at 6pm on Friday.

Two groups of cadets and staff took it in turns to do an hour of drills at a time for the marathon, which has so far raised more than �800 for club funds. And wing drill instructors were on hand to bark out orders and keep the cadets going.

The money will be used to fund the squadron's training exercises and Duke of Edinburgh activities.

Flt Lt Emma Dixon, commanding officer of the Diss squadron, said it was the second time the cadets had done the 24 hour challenge.

'You would think that they would not like drill, but they love it. They love working as one unit and when everything is step perfect there is a sense of achievement and when it goes wrong it is appalling for everyone,' she said.

The squadron has almost 40 members between the ages of 13 and 19 and parades every Tuesday and Thursday, at the drill hall, in Sunnyside, from 7pm to 9.30pm.