A 48-hour running challenge has raised £4,000 for the Wales Air Ambulance Charity.

The fundraiser was organised by Sally Smith, who began supporting the charity in 2017 in memory of a friend.

Since then, she has raised more than £20,000.

The event took place over the August Bank Holiday weekend and saw participants sign up for hour slots to run or walk a 5km route.

The aim was to have at least one person completing the 5km route during each of the 48 slots.

Ms Smith said: "Before Covid hit, I did fifty-two park runs in 52 weeks and the support was incredible.

"I hadn’t done a fundraiser in a while, and I wanted to bring the whole community together over the August Bank Holiday weekend."

Ms Smith, who volunteers for the charity, said she wanted to organise something everyone could get involved in.

She said: "The helicopters, the cars, the Wales Air Ambulance, it is there for the whole community, the whole of Wales."

The event, which saw 219 people take part, completed 1,208.5 miles (1,945 kilometres) over the two days.

The event had plenty of supporters (Image: Supplied) People who could not take on the physical challenge offered support by volunteering, baking cakes, and delivering care packages.

Ms Smith said: "There are so many awful things happening in this world, that when people connect, do kind deeds, and work together to raise money for a great cause, everyone benefits.

"The money is great, keeping the helicopters in the sky and the cars on the road, but to bring a community together is really important too – this event is a reminder that we can make a difference together."

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

Debra Sima, Wales Air Ambulance’s North East Wales regional fundraising manager, said: "Organising back-to-back 5km runs over 48 hours is no easy task, and it’s incredible that the whole community signed up for Sally’s fundraiser and helped to raise £4,000 for our charity.

"We are hugely grateful to Sally for her continued support, and for her ability to bring people together in the way she does.

"The money raised from this event will make a lifesaving difference - thank you so much to all those who made it a success."

Ms Smith is already planning her next fundraising event and hopes to break a Guinness Book World Record in 2025.