THE dedication of three friends has raised more than £6,000 for research into cancer treatment.

Widower Les Lazarus and his pals David Clough and Les Holt put their best foot forward in a sponsored walk in memory of Les's wife, Eve who died from cancer in September, 2000.

The friends, who all live in Downham Crescent, Prestwich, vowed to raise money for Christie's Against Cancer as a tribute to her. The trio, who have been running marathons together for 30 years, expected to raise £1,000 but the crowds turned out in support in September 2001 and they collected £6,218 in sponsorship.

Bury South MP Ivan Lewis cut the starting ribbon and relatives and friends joined in at various stages of the route around Prestwich, Middleton and Heywood.

Les (67) was delighted to hand over the cheque recently to Professor Robert Hawkins, director of medical oncology at Christie Hospital.

The money will help buy laboratory and clinical equipment for Prof Hawkins' gene therapy trials into more effective ways of treating cancer.

Les said: "Eve was a wonderful wife, mother and grandmother. She did a lot of charity work locally and was loved by everyone. She would have been pleased to think the money will do some good for others."