Last weekend teams of men and women across the US took on tonnes of aircraft metal in an annual tug of war challenge.

Competitors at Washington Dulles and Chicago O’Hare airports, took part in an annual ‘Plane Pull’, which raised hundreds of thousands of dollars for charity.

At Washington Dulles, more than $135,000 was raised to benefit Special Olympics Virginia, while at Chicago O’Hare, teams had to raise at least $1,000 each for Special Olympics Illinois before they could even take part.

Dulles was the first airport in the world to host a Plane Pull in 1993, and since then the event has raised more than $1.1 million for Special Olympics Virginia and its athletes.


 

The event at Dulles saw 60 teams  - of 25 people – take part in a tug of war against an 82-tonne FedEx Airbus A310. The trophy was awarded for the fastest 12ft pull of the aircraft.

At Chicago O’Hare, teams of 20 local men and women attempted to pull a 90-tonne UPS Boeing B757 aircraft 20 feet in the shortest amount of time.

The all-day event at Dulles, which is held each year, also included a pizza eating contest, airfield tours and a kids’ zone.