A terminally ill runner has been described as an 'inspiration' by his fellow competitors after he took on a major charity challenge.

Chairman of Aireborough Skyrac Athletics Club, Graham Breeze, has praised Derek Emsley's attempt to run the London Marathon and the Three Peaks Fell Race to raise money for Macmillan Cancer Relief.

The 46-year-old, of Leslie Avenue, Yeadon, missed out on achieving his goal to complete the Three Peaks Fell race on Sunday by just one minute.

Derek, who has terminal skin cancer, was prevented from continuing the race after the first peak because he was a minute late in reaching the first check-point.

"It is still a tremendous effort to try and do two races in two weeks," said Mr Breeze.

"I want to place it on record the awe in which Derek is held by all the runners at Skyrac. He is a real inspiration to the runners here. We have a lot of admiration for him.

"He promised he would start the race, he did what he came to do and he realised that it wasn't sensible to carry on.

"Everyone is inspired by him and his positive attitude. He has never said why me, or what have I done wrong.

"He has always been optimistic and cheerful, people are in awe that he has kept running well. It is hard to believe that he is dying, when we train he always at the front of the group.

"Everyone at Skyrac is very proud of him."

Derek was concerned that he would not be able to start the race because on Saturday he was unable to get out of bed due to the effects of the new medication he is taking.

"My new treatment has just wiped out my energy, so instead of running at full pace I am running at half the pace," he said.

"It feels like I am trying to drive with the handbrake on. I am trying my best but nothing is happening. It is supposed to be doing me some good but it doesn't feel like it.

"I started the race off okay, but half way to Ribblehead I just had no energy. I was the first person to be stopped, I was a minute too late.

"It is good that I stopped because I pulled my knee and I haven't been able to walk on it this week.

"If I had carried on I could have done more damage.

"I honestly did my best."

Derek has now raised more than £3,000 for charity and he says his next challenge is to survive.

"My hardest task now is surviving this treatment," he said.

"My next challenge is seeing how I go on with this treatment if it doesn't get any better I will have to have a serious talk with the doctors.

"I don't want to spend the rest of my life in bed."

The engineer was told he only had six moths to live last August and now doctors believe he has, at most, a year to live.

He first discovered he had cancer five years ago and now it has spread to his lungs and spleen.

Derek is now taking a much deserved break to Ireland to go fishing with his father and son.

Meanwhile, cancer sufferer Jane Tomlinson came to Addingham to receive a £600 donation from supporters in the village on Tuesday evening.

Jane, who recently completed a marathon bike ride from John O'Groats to Lands End for charity, arrived at The Fleece Inn on Tuesday.

The Friends of Addingham Primary School selected Jane's charity as the recipient of a 'bucket' collection held after their pantomime back in February.

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