A group of friends have vowed to run the Chester Half Marathon in memory of a friend who died in November aged just 43.

Mike Hartshorne died whilst working in Denbigh aged just 43, leaving his fiancee Sharon Hartshorne and two sons Kaden and Louie. Louie was just two weeks old at the time.

Caeri Roberts said: “We’ve been doing some good training, a few of us started training last April with BACE fitness, the beginners running club.

“I’d never done anything before this really but Steve Roberts, Sally Smith, Kate Wilkinson, Ffion Bramhall and I we’re all doing it together with BACE fitness, which has been great as I wouldn’t have been doing it without them

“We’re nervous but prepared, I never expected to run 13.1 miles, I’m still a bit shellshocked about it. I know there’s a little hill towards the end, so I’ll try and keep something in the tank.”

Mike Hartshorne of Ruthin collapsed whilst working as a refuse collector for Denbighshire County Council Denbigh on November 7 last year. The Welsh Air Ambulance was called but were unable to save him.

The group are hoping to raise enough money to pay for one Air Ambulance mission.

Caeri continued: “Sally was going to do a sponsored walk with Sharon, but I had already signed up for the half marathon and had the training in place, so offered to run in Mike’s memory.

“So Sally has a lot less training, as she signed up later than us, bless her, but we're fully behind her.

"All of us are running with BACE fitness. So far we’re just over £1,000 with a few sponsorship forms at The Centre in Ruthin and Huws Gray in Ruthin as well.

“We’re just trying to raise as much as we can, we’re hoping to raise £1,400 collectively to pay for one mission, that’s how much it costs to get the Air Ambulance off the ground.

“I knew Mike and it’s just an absolutely tragic thing. Mike was the same age as my husband, and it really hit home

“He was only 43 and it’s so sad that he left his kids and Sharon. Louie was just two  weeks old

“It’s been really nice to do this to support her, she wants to keep Mike’s memory alive especially for Louie, and I’m looking forward to seeing her face on the finish line.

“Her and the children will all be there and we’ve all got t-shirts with them on. Kaden is doing the one mile run with his big sisters Erin and Keira, so it’s something to get the whole family involved.”

To donate visit https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/Caeri-Steve