Former Cambrian News editor Bev Thomas has raised more than £450 for charity by taking on a squats challenge.

After two much-loved relatives were both diagnosed with breast cancer within five months of each other, Bev pledged to do 100 squats a day, every day in February to raise money for Cancer Research UK.

Bev, of Penrhyncoch, said: “Cancer touches everyone and it has been tough to watch two lovely people in my family go through diagnosis and treatment. But, thankfully, both are doing well.

“While I enjoy long walks and the gym, squats were definitely outside my comfort zone! I did get into the swing of them, even though for the last six days of the month I was in Tenerife! Still the Canary Islands sunshine helped and thank goodness there were only 28 days and not 31 in the month!”

Bev added: “Spurring me on was my desire to give something back to a cancer charity whose dedicated researchers continue to discover better ways to prevent, detect and treat the disease.

“Family and friends were very generous and I was thrilled to have raised £456.25, including gift aid. I would like to thank them all.”

Bev worked for the Cambrian News for 34 years, 21 of them as Editor and the last 10 of them as Managing Editor, taking early retirement at the end of 2019 to spend more time with family.

She has raised over £15,000 for charities through a variety of ways, including running the London Marathon in 2013.

The money raised through fundraising challenges will help tackle a complex disease. There are over 200 types of cancer, most of which have different biology and behaviour.

Thanks to fundraising supporters, researchers can continue to discover better ways to prevent, detect and treat cancer, enabling people to live longer, better lives, free from the disease.