THE stepson of a much-loved Forest doctor paid tribute to him by putting on his running shoes to raise £750 for hospital equipment.

Alan Gane and the family of Dr David Jones presented the cheque to the Edward Jenner unit at Gloucestershire Royal Hospital, where the Lydney GP received treatment before his death in 2016.

Alan said he hated running but was determined to do something to honour the memory of his Clearwell-based stedpdad, completing last year’s Forest Autumn Half-Marathon in two hours 15 minutes.

Dr Jones’ wife Sandra said the dedicated staff at the hospital had made it possible for him to take her on a birthday trip to Rome after arranging a timely blood transfusion so he was able to travel.

“It was a very special time for us both and enhanced the quality of his end of life experience. He was so grateful to them and impressed by their compassion and professionalism,” she said.

Other members of the family had intended to join Alan running the half-marathon, but, one by one, and beset by injury, they had to drop out leaving him to run alone.

But not expecting to do it in under three hours, the Lakers pupil smashed his target to raise £750 from generous donations. 

The cheque was handed over at the Edward Jenner unit to  Louise Adkins, the Linc coordinator for Gloucestershire Royal and Cheltenham General hospitals, and Michele Wheeler, the clinical nurse specialist for haematology at the two hospitals.