Exmouth’s firefighters will test their strength and stamina to the extreme on Sunday, August 14, by pulling a 14-tonne fire engine for four miles along the seafront.

The display starts at noon from Exmouth’s harbour to Orcombe Point, and back.

The plucky volunteers will be accompanied along their route by the Devon Dynamite majorettes.

The fire engine pull is part of a weekend of fun and activities laid on by Exmouth’s firefighters in a bid to raise �10,000 for Macmillan Cancer Research and The Firefighter’s Charity.

Kim Bloxham, secretary of Macmillan’s Exmouth and Budleigh Salterton fundraising group, said the cash raised at the weekend family fun event would fund a Macmillan GP, a care home facilitator and a support worker.

She said the ‘end of life’ community team aimed to improve around the clock care for people who were terminally ill, in their home or nursing home.

Mrs Bloxham said: “‘I am most grateful to Nigel (Alford) and his colleagues for all they are doing – they really are a pleasure to work with.

“This is a special year for Macmillan – it’s the charity’s centenary – and every penny we receive will help fund the practical, medical, financial and emotional support Macmillan offer to help improve the lives of people living with cancer.

“In recent years, my husband and I have been hit five times by cancer – so you could say we have a special reason for being involved with Macmillan.

“I had breast cancer diagnosed twice and Ray has had three occurrences of melanoma.

“My father also had Macmillan support in his final days last year.

“While we have not used Macmillan in a clinical sense, we have found the charity’s website helpful.

“Ray needed advice on a possible drugs trial and information about an operation to help him decide whether or not to proceed”.