Cyclists who had teamed up with a Ceredigion councillor to raise money for two hospitals will go ahead with the 140-mile fundraising event he was training for when he tragically died.

Cllr Paul James had pledged to raise £10,000 by cycling from Bronglais Hospital to Morriston Hospital and back again, but was killed in a crash while out on his bike on Thursday, 11 April.

Now Cllr James’ cycling friends say they will “complete what he started”, and the ride will go ahead on 25 and 26 May, as the Llanbadarn Fawr councillor had planned.

Gary Pemberthy, who had been helping to organise the event, said there were currently 12 riders who had agreed to take part, but there had been interest from others following the sad loss of Cllr James.

After speaking to Cllr James’ family, it was agreed the event should carry on.

He said: “Paul came to my office one day, as he usually did, and was talking about how he wanted to give something back to the two hospitals after his heart operation, and asked what did I think about him doing a ride to Morriston and back in a day.

“I said maybe over two days, but not in one day as that was a bit too much, even for him, and we laughed about it and chatted some more.

“By the time he left, the ‘I’ had become ‘we’ and, without realising it, I’d signed up to Paul’s Ride.

“I’d been sorting out the route, shirt design and things and Paul took on all the rest.

“At the moment it is 12 riders, but a lot of people are now wanting to join the ride, plus a support team of about five.

“Time really is not on my side putting this together, but a lot of people are coming forward offering to help out, which is very welcome.”

Donations to the fundraising effort can be made at www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/paul-james-585.

See this week’s south papers for the full story, available in shops and as a digital edition now