Daredevils who walked across hot coals and shards of glass last night raised more than £8,000 for a hospice.

More than 30 fundraisers were cheered on as they crossed the 650°C bed of coals and broken glass at Claremont High School in Claremont Avenue, Kenton, to raise money for St Luke’s Hospice.

The hospice, in Kenton Road, which provides care for people with life-shortening illnesses and support for family members and carers, expects even more sponsorship money to come in during the next few weeks to help it with its work.

Sports development officer Candice Bryan, of Harrow, said she decided to try the fire and glass walk as part of a challenge to do thirty new experiences in her thirtieth year.

She added: “I felt really intrigued, excited and curious about walking on fire and glass. I feel like it is a real test of mind over matter.

“I have supported other charities such as MS and sickle-cell in the past and I wanted to support a locally-based charity which works really hard to support our local community through times of hardship and uncertainty.”

St Luke’s Hospice, which opened in 1987 to care for people with cancer and other serious progressive illnesses, receives less than 30 per cent of its funding from the NHS and relies on donations and fundraising to collect the £3million it needs every year to keep going.

Trustee Ramesh Bhanderi, 55, was among those taking on the walk across 20ft of burning wood embers last night and said he wanted to help the hospice reach its target to keep the service free.

He added: “I decided to take part because I wanted to help the hospice to raise much-needed funds and I found the event motivational and inspiring.”