A CROWD of fundraisers found themselves blindfolded and stranded in the middle of nowhere with no money or maps for a charity challenge.

Twenty teams were whisked away from Shotley Gate and dropped in a mystery location and forced to make their way back as part of St Elizabeth Hospice’s annual Great Xscape challenge.

The event raised a massive £10,000 for the hospice, based in Foxhall Road, Ipswich.

The teams were taken to Hollesley Bay prison were they were locked in rooms armed with a mobile phone. They were challenged to raise £50 each over the phone to secure their release.

Once the fancy-dress clad fundraisers were released they made their way back to the Shipwreck restaurant in Shotley Gate using any methods available.

The winning team was from electricity supplier Haven Power, made up of Zoe Gooch, Lauren Jones, Matthew Watkins and Letitia Woodward. They completed the challenge in two hours and four minutes.

The prize for best fancy dress was awarded to the team Heroes in a Half Shell who dressed up as Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.

Event organiser Emily Sullivan said: “It’s been an absolutely brilliant day and raising around £10,000 will help us continue to provide our services free of charge to the local community and improve the lives of people living with a progressive illness.

“I’d like to thank all of the teams for taking part and everybody who has supported them, including anybody who has sponsored our participants or given them a lift.”

For more information visit www.stelizabethhospice.org.uk