A PATIENT who had one of the longest stays at Bolton Hospice has inspired his family to go the extra mile.

Steve Bradshaw was diagnosed with brain cancer in July 2015 and was cared for by the charity for 10 weeks before his death in March last year aged 56.

His memory has now inspired a team of four to hit the road as a way of thanking the team which cared for the dad-of-two.

His eldest daughter Ellen, aged 25 from Heaton, and her boyfriend, Liam Short, aged 25, had an idea to undertake a unique fundraising challenge by cycling from Bolton to Stockton - with a marathon in between!

She said: "In his memory, my boyfriend Liam, his brother and two friends are going to cycle around 80 miles from my family home in Bolton to York October 7.

"On the Saturday they will be competing in the Yorkshire Marathon, and then cycling again from York to Stockton to my dad’s childhood home.

"None of the four of them have ever run a marathon before but they are very committed to the challenge and have started training for the event.

"Dad was one of the longest stays on the inpatient unit at the hospice so is very well known with the staff and nurses here. He would be very proud of what we are doing."

The challenge will take place over three days, cycling 150 miles in total and hoping to raise £4,000 which will be split between the hospice and The Christie – which also cared for Mr Bradshaw.

To support the challenge visit www.justgiving.com/teams/BoltonToStockton.