THEY were certainly mucking about at the weekend but that definitely did not mean that they were not working hard.

THEY were certainly mucking about at the weekend but that definitely did not mean that they were not working hard.

For a team of students from Easton College have been tirelessly shifting hundreds of tonnes of manure since Friday to raise money for charity.

With five tractors and trailers on the road and two tractors spreading the muck on the fields, the team had hoped to finish their task of moving 2,750 tonnes of manure from Manor Farm in Bridgham, near Thetford, to nearby fields by the end of Monday.

But bad weather, including snow, and one of the tractors breaking down meant they were unable to meet their original deadline, and so the team has been working around the clock to get all of the muck spreading done.

Student Stephen Olley, 39, from Tittleshall, said yesterday that they hoped to finish last night.

He said: “Everything has been thrown at us but we have been battling on. We are hoping to raise about �5,000.”

All money raised will be shared between the East Anglian Air Ambulance, St Nicholas Hospice, in Bury St Edmunds, and Easton College's charity fund.

Easton College principal David Lawrence said: “We are proud of our students' efforts to use their skills to raise money for these very worthy causes and are grateful to the sponsors for their support.”

t To sponsor the Muck-a-thon call Mr Olley on 07599 030084 or 01328 700429. People can also make donations at Easton College, or at Breckland Photographic in Dereham.