A fear busting seminar will help the volunteers

First aid volunteers have walked over fire to raise money for their service.

Eighteen people from St John Ambulance in Wales agreed to walk barefoot across a 20-feet long path of fire to fundraise for the charity.

They were given a two-hour fear-busting session before embarking on the fire walk over embers which burned at a temperature of 668C.

Charity officials hope the challenge will raise enough money to replace some of the ageing ambulances in their fleet.

The embers, which create the 20-feet long and three-feet wide path, are made from pine, ash and oak.

The walk should take about six steps to complete.

They were laid out along the floor at the Oval Basin in Cardiff Bay by Blaze, a Nottingham-based company, which specialises in fire walking stunts, hired by the charity to coordinate the event.

Everyone who has signed up is enthusiastic about it Lynne Coles, St John Ambulance

"This is the first time St John's have ever held anything like this in Wales," said Lynne Coles, the community fundraiser for St John Ambulance.

"We hope to raise about �2,500 from the event to try and buy some new ambulances.

"The people who are going to do the fire walk have to do a two-hour training session beforehand.

"They will be given advice on how to conquer their fears and increase their comfort zones before they do the walk.

"Everyone who has signed up is enthusiastic about it.

"I am even thinking of doing it, I'm going to go to the training session and see how I feel," she said.

The fire walk took place at 2100 BST on Wednesday evening.