The Bushy Park 10km featured two athletes with a slightly different method of travel this weekend – they completely the race on skis.

Sixth formers Alex Bloom and James Perkins, from Hampton School, strapped on the skis alongside their 14 classmates, who ran the 10km race in the traditional style on Sunday, to raise money for Shooting Star Chase hospice in Hampton.

James said: “We thought that people would be more likely to sponsor us if we came up with a wacky way to run the race and skiing round a park with no snow seemed like a pretty tough challenge.”

Ignoring assurances from family and friends that it was an impossible feat, the two boys commandeered one of the design and technology laboratories at the school to design and make their own skis out of plywood and skate board wheels.

Alex said: “Shuffling and sliding round the park was much harder than I thought. I imagined we would complete it in around an hour and a half but we knew that wasn’t realistic when we realised people were finishing and we hadn’t got far at all.”

A major problem was keeping the skis secured to their feet but, after using three rolls of gaffer tape, the pair finally crossed the line after four hours.

The 16 Hampton runners have so far raised more than £1,000 for the hospice.

To donate, visit justgiving.com/hamptonmedicsociety.