Lampeter postman Barry Davies, who completed a gruelling 870-mile charity hike around Wales in just 30 days this summer, presented a cheque for £26,805.85 to Cancer Research UK at Lampeter Rugby Club on Friday.

Barry, who lost his dad to cancer in 2015, initially aimed to raise £1,500, but ended up raising several times that amount.

Setting off from Chester on 10 May, Barry set himself a remarkable time limit of 33 days, meaning that he had to average around 26 miles a day in order to complete his goal.

But he smashed that target, completing his odyssey three days quicker, averaging around 30 miles a day.

Setting off from the Lighthouse Inn near Newport on the final leg just 34 miles from the finish at Chepstow, Barry described how he and his supporters were caught in a thunderstorm.

Yet the welcome sight of the Severn Bridge spurred him on to complete his quickest mile of 11 minutes and 48 seconds.

The following day, family and friends joined him for the final six-mile stretch into Chepstow.

AM Elin Jones was among the many who expressed awe at Barry’s remarkable effort.