A 50th BIRTHDAY challenge has raised more than £3,000 for a local treatment that centre that gives hope to multiple sclerosis (MS) sufferers.

Ex-police officer Angi Harrell completed the Virgin Money London Marathon on April 13, and in doing so raised £3,067 for the HOPE MS Centre in Neyland.

“I was really thrilled with how the day went, it was very emotional,” said Angi, who turned 50 this year.

“I had to keep pinching myself so I knew that I had managed to get there.”

Angi, who is from Carmarthen, had been inspired to raise money for HOPE by her friend Haulwen Jones, who has been receiving oxygen and physio therapy at the centre for 14 years.

Despite injuring her Achilles tendon while running and having to walk the rest of the marathon, Angi said the day was still “amazing”.

She added that the overwhelming support from the crowds also gave her a real boost.

“I had my name on my shirt and everyone was constantly shouting my name, it got me through the really difficult bits.

“Nothing could have stopped me, I’d have finished it even if it meant crawling on my hands and knees.

“But I won’t be doing it again though!”

Haulwen said she was thrilled with her friend’s marathon effort.

“She could have so easily done it for some other charity, especially as she doesn’t live here.

“I’m just so grateful that she decided to do it for us.”

Angi and Haulwen presented the cheque to HOPE chairman Ken Brombley and Margaret Brace, HOPE secretary on Tuesday, April 29.

Open four days a week, the centre relies heavily on charitable donations to meet its £100,000 annual running cost to provide dedicated treatments to people with Parkinson’s, motor neurone disease, MS and those who have suffered a stroke.