ABOUT 65 people took to the Malvern Hills as part of a wheelchair push organised by cancer patient Vaughn Albone to celebrate his 63rd birthday.

Friends and family took turns to push Mr Albone's wheelchair over the ridge of the Malvern Hills, starting from the British Camp car park and taking in the summit of the Worcestershire Beacon, before descending to the Clock Tower in North Malvern Road.

And Mr Albone hopes the sponsored walk plus a birthday party the same evening at the Gloster Arms, Malvern Link, will have raised some £4,000 for St Richard's Hospice.

"We'll have to wait for all the sponsor forms to come back, but it will be about that," he said. "The party itself raised £1,000."

He said that the walkers had been lucky with the weather.

"The day before, it was tipping it down, and we thought we'd have to cancel it, but on the day, there was just some damp in the air, which is all right if you's got the proper clothing for it."

Mr Albone, of Beauchamp Road, chose to raise money for the hospice because he has stayed there on several occasions since being diagnosed with cancer ten years ago.

His wife Chris said: "We really want to thank everyone who took part. The support we have had is absolutely wonderful."