After taking their blindfolds off their challenge, in teams of three or four people, was to find their way back – but no money, phones or maps were allowed.
The sponsored challenge, called the Great Xscape, raised £12,000 for St Elizabeth Hospice.
The 21 teams met at the Maybush Inn, at Waldringfield, Ipswich, at around 9.30am and were put on coaches where they were blindfolded and taken to the mystery location.
Organiser Rachael Mittell, of St Elizabeth Hospice, said: “We dropped the teams off in the middle of Tunstall Forest but they had no idea that was where they were going. They had to get back following a set of crossword clues which took them to several places including Snape, Woodbridge and Martlesham before they could come back to the pub.
“Some teams managed to get on a bus for free, some hitched lifts in cars and one team persuaded a policeman to help. It was a fantastic fun event and we are so proud of everyone who took part for raising such an amazing amount of money for the Hospice.”
The winning team, making it back in just under two hours and getting the most crossword answers correct, was the Sutton Ho’s, made up of Craig Bird, of Ipswich, and Martyn Ead and Emily Tiplady, of Brightwell (see picture above). Martyn and Emily own Love Your Vegetables Ltd, a wholesale business. They were dressed as medieval ladies.
Mr Ead said: “We hadn’t taken part in The Great Xscape before and thought it would be good fun and we knew new all the money raised would go directly to the Hospice.”
Prize for the best fancy dress went to The Super Mario Allstars.
A number of local companies kindly gave their services for free. Steve Lomas, of Deben Inns, organised a buffet at the Maybush Inn and allowed use of his premises and car park. G M Travel and Harlequin Travel provided coaches while TMAC Wireless Solutions provided mobile phones.
Miss Mittell added: “I would like to say a big thankyou to all those companies which supported the Great Xscape.”
It is the third time St Elizabeth Hospice has organised the Great Xscape event and it is set to go ahead next year from a different mystery location.
There are lots of great videos on the Hospice’s youtube channel.