MORE than 200 spectators flocked to Tavistock's Bedford Square to watch brave individuals take part in a fire walk before Christmas.

Twenty heroic people took part, mainly local business people, including chairman of Tavistock Chamber of Commerce Nigel Eadie and Tavistock BID manager Lisa Wadling.

The event, in aid of ROC (Robert Owen Communities), raised around £5,500. This netted £4,000 for the charity which operates ROC Welcome Tavistock, a social club for local people with learning disabilities. The money raised will go towards the social club.

A further £34.58 was also collected by ROC volunteers in Bedford Square during the fire walk.

The Original Pasty House, the pannier market, South West Fire Alarms and the Bedford Hotel were the business sponsors for the event. The fire walk was also supported by Tavistock BID (Business Improvement District) and Tavistock Chamber of Commerce.

Calvin Lovelock, ROC fundraiser, said: 'To walk barefoot on a bed of red hot embers at 500 degrees Centigrade is a phenomenal achievement.

My grateful thanks to all our heroic fire walkers and the many individuals who so generously sponsored them to produce such an outstanding result.'

A short video of the fire walk can be viewed at http://www.roc-uk.org">www.roc-uk.org under the news section.