A valiant fundraiser has been praised after completing a 33-mile walk around Oswestry.

Charlie Kerr received a medal after he took on the Oswestry Round Challenge, despite being diagnosed with a rare blood cancer just six months before.

Charlie, who is the treasurer of the Chirk branch of Cancer Research UK, has been a supporter of the walk since its inception last year.

He said: “It was quite a challenge for me.

“The myelofibrosis has made me anaemic and I’m sometimes short of breath. But I was absolutely determined to complete the whole route of the Oswestry Round Challenge to raise money for Cancer Research UK.”

His wife, Annie, who has had treatment for kidney cancer, has raised thousands of pounds for Cancer Research UK, and is a member of the Oswestry Round committee, said: “I’m immensely proud of Charlie.

“He has trained steadily for months, without complaining, even though he sometimes gets short of breath. The Oswestry Round Challenge gave him a vital focus after his diagnosis.”

Dave Andrews, who devised the Oswestry Round Challenge, added: “Charlie is a true inspiration to others.

“I’ve seen him many times over the last few months during his training walks. He worked so hard to get himself ready for the challenge and when the big day came he was quietly determined to get around the whole route.”

Despite the weather, the turnout for the Oswestry Round Challenge was 10 per cent up on last year’s inaugural event and the organisers are on track to pass the £16,000 raised in 2016 for Lingen Davies Cancer Fund at the Royal Shrewsbury Hospital and Cancer Research UK.