A Builth Wells mum-of-three has raised £1,200 for the Wales Air Ambulance after completing the Manchester Marathon.

This was Kelly Edwards’ first marathon, which she completed in 5 hours, 17 minutes and 29 seconds.

Kelly, who is married to Richard, wanted to run the marathon in aid of the all-Wales charity after being “thankful” of the work they do.

Kelly said: “In 2007, my mum had a serious quad bike accident and was airlifted to hospital. With the help of our amazing emergency services and the NHS she went on to make a full recovery, following some time in critical care.

“We are very grateful to the Wales Air Ambulance and emergency services that helped my mum.”

The Wales Air Ambulance needs to raise £11.2 million each year to keep its helicopters in the air and its rapid response vehicles on the road.

Kelly, who works as a Trading Standards Officer, is no stranger to running. She is a member of Builth and District Running Club and had previously completed the Cardiff Half Marathon in 2018 and 2019.

When Kelly turned 40, she decided that she wanted to “challenge herself” and run a marathon. Kelly’s running coach Bob Smith provided her with a training plan and gave Kelly help and guidance throughout her training for the marathon.

Reflecting on her huge achievement, Kelly said: “I’m very pleased to have completed my first ever marathon. It went well and I really enjoyed the day, however, I was just not prepared for the very warm weather.

“On the day my family were there to support me and were cheering me on every few miles. The crowds were great, there was lots of music, choirs and hose pipes!”

Wales Air Ambulance is consultant-led, taking hospital-standard treatments to the patient and, if required, transferring them directly to the most appropriate hospital for their illness or injury. For the patient, this can mean hours saved when compared to standard care and is proven to greatly improve survival and early recovery.

It is delivered via a unique Third Sector and Public Sector Partnership. The Emergency Medical Retrieval and Transfer Service (EMRTS) supplies highly skilled NHS consultants and critical care practitioners who work on board the Charity’s vehicles.

As a pan-Wales service, the dedicated air ambulance crews, regardless of where they are based, will travel the length and breadth of the country to deliver emergency lifesaving care.

Kate Thomas, Mid Wales Regional Fundraising Manger for the Wales Air Ambulance said: “Congratulations Kelly on your huge achievement. It is touching her hear that when a family member has needed the help of the Wales Air Ambulance that someone, like Kelly, will go on to fundraise for us. We’re pleased to hear that her mum, Andrea, has now made a full recovery. We are extremely grateful to Kelly for raising an incredible £1,200 for our lifesaving service.

“Thank you to everyone who helped Kelly, prior to the day, on the day or who donated.”