UP to 40 servicemen are set to pull this double decker bus around York city centre on Sunday to raise thousands of pounds for Help For Heroes.

The sponsored pull is being organised by Cliff Talmadge, of Full Sutton, near Stamford Bridge, whose son Lance is in the Royal Marines.

Cliff said Lance, 20, spent seven months in Afghanistan last year, during which time one of his friends lost both legs in an explosion.

Now Lance is planning to travel up to York from Exeter with some friends to take part in the sponsored pull, which will also involve soldiers from Imphal Barracks accompanied by RAF personnel from RAF Linton-on-Ouse.

Mr Talmadge said the Routemaster bus, which was made in 1961 and weighs just over ten tons, would be pulled several times through the centre between noon and 4pm, and passers-by would be urged to put donations in buckets.

It would depart from St Sampson’s Square at noon, and be pulled along Church Street, Colliergate, Pavement and then Parliament Street and back to the square.

Cliff said he used to drive the Routemasters in London and now drives them occasionally for Yorkshire Belles, which hired the double decker out for weddings and parties.

Yorkshire Belles owner Elaine Davies had agreed to the bus being used in the pull.

“I have already raised about £3,000 through donations from various companies and would hope we’ll have raised about £5,000 by the time we’ve finished,” Cliff said.