A WHOPPING £11,000 has been raised for the Help4Harry campaign, a family fund created to raise awareness and cash for Muscular Dystrophy UK and its Duchenne research.

At the end of August, Alton quartet Simon Hewitt, Richard Littlewood, Daniel Shehan and Steve Lynam will be competing in a gruelling Ironman event, which is made up of a 112-mile cycle ride, a 2.4-mile swim and 26.2–mile marathon distance run around the town. They hope to complete it within 17 hours.

The aim is to raise money for the Help4Harry campaign, set up in aid of Harry Barnley, from Farnham, who was diagnosed with duchenne muscular dystrophy in 2013 at the age of five.

To kickstart the fundraising, Mickey Piper and the four “Ironmen” held a charity event which raised £11,088.90.

Proceeds from the event will swell the Duchenne Research Breakthrough Fund. Duchenne muscular dystrophy is a condition which causes muscles throughout the body to weaken and waste away, leading to increasing disability and shortened life expectancy.

Sue Barnley, Harry’s mum, said: “It was an incredible night. Well done Mickey Piper and to all involved. We feel overwhelmed to know such amazing people.”

Anneke Liefting, Muscular Dystrophy UK’s South East Regional Development Manager, added: “It was fantastic to see how well the charity evening went and the generosity of all the guests attending.

“The money raised from this will fund a further 252 hours of groundbreaking research into Duchenne muscular dystrophy and you will be helping us to transform the lives of children and adults here in Hampshire who are affected by muscle-wasting conditions.”