FRIENDS and family of a Newport man who died aged just 31 after a battle with cancer raised thousands of pounds for charity in his memory.

More than 50 people assembled in Newport city centre in a variety of fancy dress outfits in memory of Steven Lewis, who died last December after being diagnosed with stomach cancer in the October.

The family wanted to do something to raise money for St David’s Foundation Hospice Care, the charity which helped them during Mr Lewis’ illness, so dozens of Mr Lewis’ nearest and dearest assembled on Charles Street for a walk to the Ship Inn, Caerleon.

From the Queen and Rocky to a Dad’s Army soldier and the Mario Brothers, there was an eclectic mix of costumes on show.

Mr Lewis’ mother, Jackie Lewis, 62, said they chose fancy dress as her son had a fondness for it.

Walkers took a bucket collection with them and raised £169 during the two-hour walk.

Combined with online donations, the family has raised around £3,000.

Barclays bank and the Monmouthshire Building Society contributed £700 and £250 respectively.

Mrs Lewis said: “All his friends were gutted when he was diagnosed and he loved bank holidays, dressing up and a pint in the pub, so we thought this walk would bring everybody together. It’s what he would have done had he had a friend who died in the same situation.”

His mother said they plan to make the walk an annual event in her son’s memory.

To donate visit www.justgiving.com/Jackie-Lewis31

Wed just seven months

STEVEN Lewis died just seven months after he married his wife, Angela, 28, in a ceremony in Limassol, Cyprus, on May 9 last year.

He began suffering stomach pains and was losing weight so had tests at Newport’s Royal Gwent Hospital, which revealed he was suffering with cancer.

In November, just two days before his chemotherapy was due to start at the University Hospital of Wales, Cardiff, doctors told him the cancer had spread to his lymph nodes, liver and lungs, meaning chemotherapy was no longer an option.

Mrs Lewis took him home on November 24 to care for him, and on December 21, surrounded by his family, he died at home.

Mr Lewis was buried at Christchurch cemetery.