THE inaugural 24-hour charity fundraiser held in Pontypool Park at the weekend smashed its target of raising £20,000 with the actual figures expected to be double that.

Cancer Research UK’s Relay for Life started at 12pm on Saturday, April 30 and finished one day later at 12pm on Sunday, May 1.

A total of 316 people, including 60 children, took part, split into 16 teams, each taking their turn in the relay around the course in the park.

Early estimations from the event organisers believe that between £40,000 and £42,000 will be pledged to the charity.

“I have been told that this was one of the best first relays in the entire country,” said Colin Guest, the chair of the Pontypool Relay for Life committee.

“The feedback I have had from the teams so far has been amazing. They have all said that they would do it again tomorrow if they could.”

The Mayor of Torfaen, cllr Giles Davies, and the Torfaen MP, Nick Thomas-Symonds, were at the opening ceremony, declaring the event open with the Lap of Honour.

As dusk fell, candles perched on the standing area of Pontypool Stadium spelt out the words hope – in English and Welsh – and burned throughout the night.

Mr Guest said: “Plans are already in discussion for next year’s event. We hope that this can become a regular event in the Pontypool calendar.”

The chair added that the event was organised to highlight the issue of all cancers, rather than just one of the 200 different types.

Pontypool’s survivorship chair for the Relay for Life, Leander Parker, said: “As survivorship chair I felt honoured and humbled to be part of such an amazing event.

“We registered 43 survivors this year but 45 actually came with their caregivers and joined us in the VIP marquee to celebrate after we walked the first lap of honour together.

“We hope to encourage more cancer survivors to register for next year’s event,” added Mrs Parker, 48, of Leigh Road, Pontypool.

Committee and teams members will celebrate the event at an after party, held on Saturday, July 23, where the final total for the money raised will be announced.

Anyone interested in participating in next year's event should contact pontypoolrelay@yahoo.co.uk.