FIVE community volunteers were handcuffed, arrested and locked up at Ruislip police station as part of Michael Sobell Hospice’s Jail and Bail fund-raising event, part of Hospice Care Week.

Those who took on the bizarre challenge were asked to raise as much money as they could before the event and then spend time in a police cell with a mobile phone and a list of contacts until further cash was raised and they could be released on bail.

They were arrested and handcuffed by police outside the hospice in Northwood and taken in a police van to the police station, where they were fingerprinted, photographed and then put in one of the cells.

The amount raised so far by all five is more than £4,000 and sponsorship is still coming in.

Insp Rob Bryan, of Hillingdon police, said "Michael Sobell does so much for people locally suffering from life-limiting illnesses and we, the local police, are proud to help their charitable endeavours whenever we can.

“Luckily they all raised some money, so nobody was kept in a cell overnight!”

The unfortunate inmates who took part in the event were:

David Durn, a solicitor from David Durn & Co in Ruislip. He was arrested for wearing odd socks.

Rachel Evans, from Ickenham, a retired partner of Barnett Waddingham in Amersham. She was locked up for cat burglary (looking after her friends’ cats and stealing them).

Natalie Hutton, from Harefield, a medical records clerk at Harefield Hospital, who was locked up for spending too much time on Facebook.

Lindsay O’ Callagham, from Northwood, owner of Atelier Hair & Wigs hairdressers at Mount Vernon Hospital, who was locked up for a hair-raising incident at her salon which she wanted to get to the root of.

Melanie Burfitt, from Eastcote, Director of Income Generation, Michael Sobell Hospice, who was locked up for taking someone’s lunch from the hospice fridge.