Emmerdale stars The Dingles and friends found themselves wishing they were back on the farm when they were put through their paces in a race dedicated to the memory of tragic teenager David Staff.

Four of the soap’s stars braved the five-mile David Staff Memorial Fell Race in Darwen’s Sunnyhurst Woods, which has become an annual event, in memory of the 17-year-old, a keen runner who died suddenly after a race, seven years ago.

Charity Dingle alias Emma Atkins and bad boy Cain Dingle, played by Geoff Hornsby, were joined by Eric Pollard, alias Chris Chittel and Bob Hope alias Antony Ardenshaw for the fund-raising race.  The event was organised by David's family, from Hoddersden, who want to raise awareness of the condition which killed him, hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, an undetected heart condition.  David died near the end of a road race in 1994.