THE campaign to build a disabled-friendly pavilion at Purton Cricket Club in memory of proud mum Ainslie Duffell has passed the £30,000 mark in the space of 18 months.

Husband Phil and son Alex, 15, along with friends Andy Wakely, Chris Voss and son Nik, raised more than £10,000 with a four-day 370-mile Lifecycle from Moffat in Scotland to Swindon.

“It was brilliant. I didn’t really have too many expectations of what we could raise. It was just a step into the unknown. I have just been amazed by how many people that have nothing to do with cricket have jumped on board and helped out,” said TV sports presenter Phil. “People have been amazing.”

”I had the first puncture which was towards the end of day three. Luckily we were only about five miles from the final stop and it was the front wheel.” Then on the last day Alex’s friend Nik, also 15, suffered a problem with his chain that resulted in the gear being damaged. “He was distraught because it looked like he wasn’t going to finish.”

Luckily a cycle shop in Bromsgrove got him back on the road again in time to rejoin the ride 25 miles down the road. When they finally arrived at the Sun Inn at Lydiard they were greeted by a crowd of well-wishers.

“It has been a massive help to Alex and me to have something to focus on,” said Phil

He and Alex are keen cricketers. He coaches at county level while Alex, who goes to Royal Wootton Bassett Academy, has captained the county boys’ team.

Ainslie was diagnosed when she was 35 and Alex was just a toddler. She fought the disease for 12 years but finally succumbed in February last year. She usually supported Phil and Alex in their cricket matches, but because of illness and the fact she was in a wheelchair she was not at the club when Alex scored his first century aged just 13.

“This was a major milestone in Alex’s cricketing career. I was there to watch it, Ainslie wasn’t,” said Phil.

“Outwardly she was hugely delighted and proud at her son’s achievement. But it wasn’t until they read her journal after her death that they discovered how devastated she had been that she couldn’t be there. That’s where it all comes from. The entry in her journal,” he explained.

They aim to replace the pavilion by 2020 – the club’s 200th anniversary – with one that is more accessible. “We would like it to be a facility that could be used by the wider community,” said Phil. “We just want to build the nicest, best possible pavilion we can as a tribute to Ainslie.”

Architects plans are yet to be drawn up but the aim is to raise a substantial amount of money before going for grants and planning permission.