INSPIRED by the bravery of his best friend Wayne Wilson, who lost his courageous battle with leukaemia last week, Damien Davis has set himself a charity challenge in his memory.

Damien, 34, of Fairfield, Cricklade, will be joined by friends Kevin Giles, 22, Mike Murray, 21, and Kevin Midgley, 52, as he takes on the Three Peaks Challenge in April to raise money for Leukaemia Research.

The group, dubbed Team Wayne, will attempt to climb the three highest peaks of Scotland, England and Wales within 24 hours.

Damien first met Wayne when he was his babysitter 16 years ago.

“I’ve known Wayne since he was about 10,” he said.

“He was a typical young lad, quite naughty.

“We lost touch because I moved away, but when I moved back to Cricklade last year, my mum told me that Wayne was ill and we went to visit him in hospital.

“He didn’t moan once, he had tubes everywhere but he was still joking around and laughing with us all. When we heard it wasn’t treatable, things took a slightly different direction.

“Because I had a bit of spare time I decided I wanted to do something amazing for charity.”

Wayne’s story touched the heart of hundreds of people at the end of last year, especially those in his home town of Cricklade, as hundreds gathered to see him marry his beloved Sammy Cole, 19, in a snowy, fairytale wedding shortly before Christmas.

The couple’s two-year-old daughter Katelyn was bridesmaid at the service.

Damien said: “His wedding was like a fairytale.

“He was so ill that he had to spend most of the service in a wheelchair.

“But he mustered up the strength and courage to walk his bride down the aisle to a rapturous applause and there wasn’t a dry eye in the church.

“I think he would think I’m a nutter for doing this, but equally I think he would be very touched.

“We are hoping to raise £2,000 but we have raised £185 in just two days so I think we are going to smash that target.

“Hopefully if this is a success we can go on to do other charity events and maybe climb Mount Kilimanjaro one day.”

The group will begin their challenge at 5pm on April 27 and hope to complete it by 5pm on April 28.

They have found a corporate sponsor – Dave Cobb Transport, based in South Cerney.

To donate visit http://www.justgiving.com/damiendavis-kili or for more information visit www.teamwayne.co.uk.