FITNESS fanatics managed to lift more than one million kilograms in weight in support of a mental health charity.

More than 30 members of CrossFit Basingstoke took part in the charity event on Saturday, with the aim for participants to lift one million kilos collectively.

Each participant could decide the exact weight they wanted to lift and would part in hour sessions of different disciplines from deadlifts to back squats.

Starting at the gym in Joule Road, Houndmills, at 9am, the aim was to lift the million kilos by 6pm. By the time the group had finished they managed to lift a total of 1,186,560kg.

“There was such an amazing atmosphere at the gym throughout the day,” said one of the CrossFit Basingstoke co-owners Chris Collins.

“In fitness people always want to set themselves targets so for us to set such a big target everyone involved wanted to reach it and we did way more than we expected.”

The event was organised by Mr Collins and his business partner Nigel O’Connor, who decided that the money raised would be donated to Solent MIND.

Mr Collins added: “In the world of exercise people focus a lot on their physique and looking after their bodies.

“However, more and more we are hearing about people battling with their mental health and we even had members at the gym who struggle with it but use fitness and exercise as a means to help them.

“So, when me and Nigel were discussing doing the million-kilo lift someone suggested MIND and it just made sense to support a charity which helps so many people.”

The event managed to raise more than £1,000 for the charity with donations still being excepted.

With such a large total lifted Mr Collins said the gym may look into doing this as a yearly challenge.

To donate to million kilo fund visit justgiving.com/fundraising/crossfit-basingstoke.