AN INTREPID vicar put his faith to the test when he took part in a fire walk for charity.The Rev Neil Bramble-Chapman fearlessly crossed a 20-foot bed of burning embers to raise money for the St Nicholas' Hospice, in Bury St Edmunds, where he was recently appointed chaplain.

AN INTREPID vicar put his faith to the test when he took part in a fire walk for charity.

The Rev Neil Bramble-Chapman fearlessly crossed a 20-foot bed of burning embers to raise money for the St Nicholas' Hospice, in Bury St Edmunds, where he was recently appointed chaplain.

“It was totally amazing,” he said. “We took part in a two-hour seminar before the walk to get us in the right frame of mind, but when we actually saw the fire bed for the first time, I did ask myself what I was doing there.”

Mr Bramble-Chapman was one of eight hardy souls to complete the challenge, at Thurston Rugby Club on Friday night.

And he enjoyed the challenge so much, he is now trying to think up even more daring stunts, including walking across a bed of glass, and a tandem parachute jump.

He said: “The key was positive thinking. I just kept telling myself that I could do it and that it would be okay, and it was.

“When I was walking across the bed there was a hot sensation under my feet, but afterwards there were no burn marks and I was perfectly fine.

“The event was beyond anything else I have ever done before, but now I have done it I can't wait to try something else.”

Money raised from the event, which is being matched by the Camelot Foundation, will go towards the general running costs of the hospice.

Last year, the fire walk raised more than £8,000 for the charity, and organisers are hoping to top that amount this year.