Scafell Pike climbers smash £10,000 target for poorly Hartlepool youngster Riley Bains

A team of 20 people successfully scaled Scafell Pike, in the Lake District, in soaring heat on Sunday for eight-year-old cancer battler Riley Bains.

The fundraiser organised by Hartlepool charity Miles For Men smashed its £10,000 target to help Riley’s family make memories.

Riley’s dad Stephen Bains took part and the climbers were joined by Riley himself at a celebration at The Fens pub after arriving home.

Climb organiser and Miles For Men founder Micky Day said: “It was amazing from start to finish. It was hard because the heat was scorching, but everyone managed to get through it.

"We set out to raise £10,000 from the climb. We smashed it and it’s heading towards £20,000 which for 20 people is absolutely off the scale.”

That is on top of more than £15,000 the charity also raised by a GoFundMe page for a trip to Disneyland for Riley to meet his Marvel heroes.

Last year, he underwent months of chemotherapy and had part of his left leg amputated due to cancer.

After being free of the disease for almost a year, his family received the devastating news earlier this year that it had returned and spread.

But Riley has continued to astound his family and supporters with his incredible bravery.

Sunday’s climb was supported by numerous local businesses including the Sheraton Group, Hartlepool College of Further Education which provided minibuses, and Ron Blyth butchers with free food.

Scott Standing, from The Fens Pub, served as the group’s guide for the three-hour climb.

Micky added: “I couldn’t have done it with a better bunch of people. When great people come together they always make a difference.

"It was a truly amazing day.”

The group all wore bright yellow t-shirts with a picture of Riley on the front and the message ‘Riley our superhero’.

The day was even more poignant for Micky as it took place on what would have been his daughter Demi Leigh’s 27th birthday.

She tragically passed away from a brain tumour in December 2018 aged just 21.