A group of hungry fundraisers starved themselves for a day in preparation for a beefy challenge.

The team of eight took on the charity “burger challenge” at Moreton Hall Community Centre in Bury St Edmunds, to raise money for St Nicholas Hospice Care.

The task devised by Paul Wells, manager of Royal Mail’s sorting office in Skyliner Way, involved participants competing against each other to down a giant beefburger containing the equivalent of nine individual quarter-pound burgers.

On top of the burger challengers also had to devour six rashers of back bacon, cheese, lettuce, onion and tomato topped with relish and mayonnaise, all wrapped up in a huge specially-baked bap.

Those taking part also had to polish off side dishes of chips, onion rings and coleslaw to complete the task.

Money raised on the night and through sponsorship will go to Bury’s St Nicholas Hospice Care.

The charity, which looks after people with terminal and life-shortening illnesses, needs to raise £11,000 every day to cover running costs.

It provides care and support not just in Bury St Edmunds but also throughout West Suffolk and Thetford via support from a community hospice team.

Visit www.stnicholashospicecare.org.uk for more information.