A WIRRAL mum has raised more than £27,000 for charity in memory of her late husband who lost his fight with cancer.

Barbara Potter, from Bromborough, took on the Bupa Great Manchester 10K Run on Sunday with children Michael and Joanne, in a bid to boost funds for St John’s Hospice.

She wanted to raise the cash as a tribute to her husband John who died of oesophageal cancer last year.

The family had already raised a staggering £26,700 over the last two years but are still working towards their target of £30,000.

Barbara, 60, said: “When John was diagnosed at just 62, it hit us all really hard and we couldn’t believe it. This was someone who had always enjoyed the best of health, he was a non-smoker and ate very healthily – it just didn’t make sense.

"We were thrown into a black pit of despair which we found very hard to claw out of but John was much more philosophical and remarkable in his acceptance of it all.

“We decided to focus our energies on something positive and raise money for St John’s Hospice who were fantastic in John’s palliative care.

"We have raised a lot of money over the past couple of years but we really want to reach £30,000. Raising £700 for the 10K has inched us nearer to our goal. It is so important that we keep fundraising in John’s memory.”

Barbara, a former teacher, started running just nine months ago and was able to put her new-found skills to the test during the weekend’s event.

She added: “Since John passed away, I have had the need to be out in the fresh air and training has given me a new lease of life.

"I am looking forward to doing the run and raising as much money as we can. The three of us ran wearing t-shirts with John’s picture so he was in our minds the whole way through.”

To donate to Barbara’s appeal, visit www.justgiving.com/johnkpotter