FRIENDS and family have paid a moving tribute to a man who died from cancer earlier this year.

They scaled the Yorkshire Three Peaks – 12 months on from completing the same challenge with Michael Dent, who had been diagnosed with skin cancer in 2014.

Michael lost his battle with the disease in the summer, aged 30.

Now his brother Chris and other family members and friends have once again conquered the peaks – Pen-y-ghent, Whernside and Ingleborough – in memory of Michael and to raise money for Manorlands.

Their effort has coined in around £7,000 for the Oxenhope Sue Ryder hospice.

Chris, 33, from Silsden, says: "Sadly, Michael died in July of this year. He had been cared for by Sue Ryder nurses in his home, which is what he wanted.

"In October last year, we hiked the Yorkshire Three Peaks with Michael and friends and family. It was an incredible challenge, and Michael was well enough to complete it in an amazing eight-and-a-half hours.

"After he died, we wanted to do something in his memory, but also to raise money for Sue Ryder Manorlands hospice after the fantastic care and support it gave.

"The care Michael received from Sue Ryder nurses in his last few weeks was absolutely phenomenal. I know my parents really appreciated having everything taken care of, so they could focus on just being there for Michael.

"We wanted to show our gratitude and respect by raising money to help Manorlands continue with its incredibly important work.

"Michael really enjoyed raising money for different causes – he even took on a skydive a few years ago – so I know he would have been proud. Doing the challenge without him was definitely harder, but knowing why we were doing it spurred us on. We had a group of about 30 of us taking part, which just shows how many people’s lives Michael touched.

"We have raised just short of £7,000, which I am over the moon about. We originally set a target of £2,000, so to have surpassed it by this amount is quite crazy. Thank you to everyone who has supported us."

People can still donate at justgiving.com/fundraising/michael-dent-yorkshire-three-peaks-2023

Liv Moffat, senior community fundraiser at Manorlands, says: "The challenge that Chris and his friends and family have taken on for Michael is just incredible. We are so grateful to them for fundraising for the hospice."