A CAERPHILLY man has raised more than £4,000 for charity after climbing Pen y Fan.

Anthony Williams, 46, walked for seven days in a row to a total of 100 miles and up the mountain – the highest in southern Britain.

He was inspired by his dad who had dementia and a friend’s dad living with Parkinson’s, His fundraising total of £4,155 will be split between Parkinson’s UK and Dementia UK.

Mr Williams said: “I wanted to challenge myself personally by walking 100 miles in June and trekking up Pen y Fan seven days in a row.

“Through a conversation with my good friend, I learned his dad has Parkinson’s, and after hearing how it has affected his dad and the whole family, I decided to make my challenge a fundraising event.

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“Parkinson’s has robbed my friend’s father of what made him amazing and unique. A fiercely independent man, he now struggles to get up from a chair or make any coherent sense when communicating. It is heartbreaking. Things that you and I take for granted become incredibly difficult for people living with Parkinson’s.

“Imagine not being able to dress yourself, go for a long walk or even smile. Parkinson’s is misunderstood by so many. Thanks to everyone’s support, the money I have raised will go towards families who are affected by it.”

Parkinson’s is the world’s fastest growing neurological condition and there is no cure. Around 145,000 people in the UK are affected, with 7,600 of those in Wales. People with Parkinson’s can suffer more than 40 symptoms which include tremors, pain and anxiety.

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Parkinson’s UK’s head of regional fundraising, Ann Rowe, said: “We are so grateful to Anthony for taking on this challenge for Parkinson’s UK.

“With more than 40 potential symptoms, Parkinson’s can devastate lives. We’ve made huge breakthroughs in the last 50 years but there is still no cure and current treatments are not good enough. Fundraisers like Anthony help us to drive forward the groundbreaking research we need to transform the lives of people affected by the condition.”

You can still sponsor Mr Williams on his challenge at https://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/AnthonyWilliams64