A PARATROOPER and two policemen will join forces next weekend when they take part in the Great North Run–in full riot gear.

Major Chris Collier, who now commands P Company in Helles Barracks, Catterick Garrison, will be joined by ex-comrade Rob James.

The two both served with Colchester’s 3rd Battalion, the Parachute Regiment, and were both lance corporals during the liberation of Iraq in 2003.

Mr James now serves as a traffic officer in Humberside along with colleague Jim Saunders, who will also be running as part of the three-man team.

Major Collier’s daughter, Abigail, has coeliac disease, an autoimmune condition which means she can’t eat anything with gluten in it, and he hopes to raise awareness and money for Coeliac UK.

Rob and Jim are raising money for CLIC Sargeant –a children’s cancer care charity.