my AFK: Hornsey children’s charity get “arrested” as part of innovative fundraising effort

Tracey Gilbert-Falconer from my AFK is arrested by Crouch End's PC Chris Allen. Picture: my AFK (Image: Archant)

That's what - sort of - happened at my-AFK when Pc Chris Allen frogmarched three women out of their office and threw them into a cell at Hornsey police station for seven hours.

Unbeknownst to the staff in question at the charity - formerly as Action For Kids - they were in fact completing the third leg of a bizarre charity triathlon.

First they leapt into the river Thames and were rescued by a giant Newfoundland dog, then they took part in a terrifying zipline challenge, but the third part - a rough ride at the hands of some very co-operative coppers - was a surprise until Pc Allen walked across Tottenham Lane and locked up Tracey Gilbert-Falconer, Laura Callanan and Harriet Fisher in the jail cell once inhabited by Muswell Hill murderer Dennis Nielsen.

They were then subjected to an interrogation where their "lawyers" deliberately got them into more trouble, while they begged members of the public to raise enough money to bail them out.

The money raised - £1,600 so far but more donations are expected - won't actually go into the justice system, though. It'll help the charity with its work for disabled children, young people and their families.

Tracey, the charity's fundraising and communications director, told the Ham&High: "We knew something was going to happen but we had no idea what. I was sitting in my office and all of a sudden the police had cuffed Harriet and Laura.

"I knew it would not be good."

Harriet, the executive director for services, added: "I think we were booked in by about 10 and we raised our bail money by 5. We did have our phones, so we were able to use them to help get more money." She thanked the police for their "good humour".

To add to their "bail fund" see justgiving.com/fundraising/afk-harriet-laura-tracey