A HARLECH farmer has raised a staggering £10,000 for charity after shearing more than 1,000 sheep in 24 hours in a gruelling fund-raiser.

After seven months of arduous training, Arfon Pugh took on the challenge of a 24-hour shearathon last Friday evening.

Arfon, who held the event at Merthyr Farm, Harlech, was raising money for cancer charity Tenovus in memory of his friend Gwynfor ‘John’ Williams who passed away recently due to the cruel disease.

The farmer had originally hoped to shear approximately 900 sheep in 24 hours – one every minute and a half or so – but ended up smashing his target by clipping over 1,000 sheep in 22 hours and shearing another 30 or so after that to make it up to the 24-hour mark.

Understandably, Arfon got fairly serious cramps after reaching the 1,000 mark so “took it easier” for the final run.

Through donations online, sponsorship forms and money raised between from a raffle, auction and several other fund-raising events, the total raised has exceeded the £10,000 mark, all in memory of “a much-missed member of the community”­.

Speaking after the event, Arfon said: “I just want to say thank you to everyone that helped.

“I’m not going to start naming anyone because there are too many, but a special thank you to Ffion Pugh, she was amazing.

“It’s been a long seven months to reach this but all the hard work has paid off – no pain, no gain!

“When I finished and turned round to see so many friends, family and supporters from far and wide it put a lump in my throat.

“I’m so proud of what we have achieved as a group of friends and a community, what a great weekend. Money is still coming in, which is fantastic.

“Gwynfor John would be very proud of us all! Thank you all so much.”

To donate, visit www.justgiving­.com/fundraising/­cneifio900mewn24.