A hospital whose doctors performed open-heart surgery on a dad from Stotfold is to benefit from £2,200 raised by the patient’s wife and a friend through a half marathon.

Kerry Franklin and her friend Jayne Moss completed Sunday’s Cambridge Half Marathon in aid of Kerry’s husband Paul, who had his aortic valve replaced at London’s Harefield Hospital in October after he developed a heart murmur.

Neither had run a half marathon before, but they battled through the wind and rain on the day to cover the 13.1 mile distance in two hours and 20 minutes.

Paul said: “It’s great to give something back to the hospital after the fantastic job they did with me, and all the support they gave to my daughter as well. Everyone from the person at the front desk to the person who did all the food, and everyone in between, was just great.

“You say thank you, but you just want to do something a bit extra.”

Kerry and Jayne started running a few years ago. Although they’ve built up their training over time and completed a few 10ks before this, it took a few drinks for them to commit to a half marathon.

Paul added: “We had a few friends and family round for a barbecue and after a few glasses someone suggested it, and they signed up – that was the thinking behind it!

“I felt a bit guilty because they were running all this way in the rain while I stood on the side.

“Harefield is looking to build a new intensive care unit there, so to be able to do this feels like an appropriate way to thank them for everything they did.”

Kerry and Jayne have so far raised £2,200 for the Royal Brompton & Harefield Hospitals Charity, including Gift Aid.

To make a donation visit justgiving.com/fundraising/KerryandJayne.