Fundraisers who took on a charity challenge launched by Cllr Paul James have presented £34,000 to two hospital wards.

Cllr James sadly died after he was struck by a car while training for his 140-mile cycle challenge between Bronglais Hospital and Morriston Hospital after setting himself a fundraising target of raising £10,000.

He had launched the charity event to help the two wards where he received treatment for a heart condition and, with the blessing of Cllr James’s family, the fundraiser was completed by a team of 10 friends who were due to take part alongside Cllr James.

They have now presented Bronglais Hospital’s Dyfi Ward with a cheque for £17,000, with another £17,000 to be donated to the Cyril Evans Ward at Morriston Hospital in Swansea.

The fundraising challenge captured the imagination of the public and family and friends of Cllr James after he was sadly killed on Thursday, 11 April while out training on his bike for the ride.

The 10-man team, made up of Gary Pemberthy, Mike Blair, Derek Glennie, Arwel James, Rob Patterson Jones, Justin Manley, Shaun Russell Jones, Wyn Vinny Morris, Paul Noble and Gary Patterson, who were due to take part in the event with Cllr James, set off on Saturday, 25 May and returned to Aberystwyth the following day after completing the 140-mile ride.

After completing the challenge, Gary, who had helped to organise the event, said: “The support at Bronglais, en route and at Morriston was amazing."

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