TYNEDALE Hospice at Home is £1,180 better off thanks to the incredible efforts of a pair of navy veterans.

Stephen Jopling, from Stannersburn, took on the Active Northumberland Kielder Run Bike Run challenge along with his friend Chris Warner, who lives in Stoke, earlier this month.

Stephen said: “I decided to raise money for the Tyndale Hospice at Home because some close friends had used the hospice’s services and had spoken movingly about what a lifeline the organisation had been to them.

“My mother-in-law passed away from cancer last year too, so I know first-hand how emotionally hard it is to deal with having a terminally ill loved one.

“The work that Tynedale Hospice at Home does to help both patients and families is fantastic and can make a huge difference to people.”

Community fund-raiser at Tynedale Hospice at Home Cathy Bates said: “We’re so grateful for the amazing efforts of Stephen and Chris, who not only completed an incredibly hard challenge, but raised a fantastic amount in sponsorship.

“It costs over £700,000 a year to run our services and 90 per cent of this must be raised through voluntary giving and charitable donations.

“All of our services are provided free of charge and are only made possible thanks to the inspiring fund-raising efforts of people like Stephen and Chris who go that extra mile to support us.”

Stephen and Chris, who served together on HMS Plymouth during the Falklands War, lost touch after their ship was attacked by five aircraft on June 8, 1982, seriously injuring Chris, who was flown off in a helicopter.

They did not see each other for many years, until Stephen found Chris on a forces reunion site.

Stephen said: “I got in touch with him and we met up and have been close friends again ever since.

“I really enjoy running and Chris cycles to relax in his spare time, so when I saw this challenge I thought it was perfect for us.”

This is the second time the former colleagues have taken on the 42km event as a team.