STAFF and customers at Chepstow Leisure Centre took part in a fundraising day for a heart foundation in memory of a Chepstow rugby player.

More than 110 people took part in the fundraiser on Friday to support The British Heart Foundation's Wear it beat it national campaign. Staff and customers at the leisure centre took part in exercise bike sessions and a quiz night while wearing red to support the campaign.

They raised £792.48 from the day which will help fund research for the British Heart Foundation. The fundraising was organised in memory of Neil Allmark, of Caldicot, who died aged 28, in January last year, of a heart related condition.

He was known as Nellie and played as the blindside flanker for Chepstow Rugby Club on the first team for around 10 years.

He worked as a duty officer at the leisure centre.

Chepstow Leisure Centre manager Helen Dymond said the centre were keen to support research in memory of Mr Allmark. The British Heart Foundation also supplied the centre's defibrillator.

Katie Thompson, organiser of the fundraiser, said: “We had people on the bike cycling all day and we tracked them as they travelled across south Wales. We had loads of people donate money throughout the day and we would like to thank them for helping such a fantastic cause.

"The British Heart Foundation’s research is powered by the generosity of others and its work helps to make a big difference to millions of people living with heart and circulatory conditions."

The centre put a plaque and bench at the site in honour of Mr Allmark last year after collecting donations of around £500.

According to the British Heart Foundation one in four people die due to heart and circulatory disease each year.

For more information or to make a donation, visit bhf.org.uk/red or call 0300 330 0645.