Man runs from Crewe to the top of Mount Snowdon - raising funds for Crewe schoolboy

By Ryan Parker

15th May 2022 | Local News

A Crewe man has completed a 90-mile run from Crewe to Mount Snowdon - raising funds for a Crewe schoolboy who lost his leg to a rare form of bone cancer.

Mark Barnes started his run from the Crewe's weekly park run, Queens Park at 9am on Saturday (May 7) - in aid of Ashton Hulme.

The Crewe man then ran all the way to Snowdon on his own through the day and night, meeting up with friends and family at Snowdon car park on the Sunday morning (May 8).

Mr Barnes friends and family then did the last bit of the run with him - to the top of the Welsh mountain and back down. A total of 90 miles.

A total of £2,782 was raised from the run for Ashton - beating the initial Just Giving target of £1,000.

£2,602 has so far been raised from the run for Ashton Hulme- beating the initial target of £1,000 (Just Giving).

Kara Tontsch, Mark Barnes' partner, also from Crewe, told Nub News: "I think what Mark has done absolutely amazing, he is so strong minded.

"I feel like this is a massive achievement and it needs to be recognised for what he has done.

"Mark was originally going to do it just for fun. It wasn't until I put it to him to do it for charity as it's a massive accomplishment.

"I couldn't be more proud, it's amazing."

Mr Barnes wanted to give the money raised from the run to a child rather than a big charity - Ashton was the one of his choice.

Ms Tontsch added: "Mark has done this for such a wonderful cause. The money raised is going directly to Ashton."

Mark barnes within the Snowdonia National Park (Kara Tontsch).

At the end of 2020, the Crewe academy goalkeeper was diagnosed with a rare form of bone cancer in the fibula bone in his calf called Osteosarcoma - affecting only 50 children in the UK each year.

Aggressive chemotherapy was used to help Ashton, but didn't work as well as hoped.

Due to 'aggressive nature' of the tumour, there was strong chance that the cancer would return. Medics unanimously agreed that Ashton's lower leg would have to be amputated.

Ashton went through major surgery in March 2021 - it turned out to be successful.

In March this year, Ashton's mother, Vicky Hulme revealed to his Just Giving page that there was still a long period of chemotherapy ahead before a prosthetic leg could be sorted.

Ashton loves playing all sorts of sports - especially football and cricket.

Mark Barnes at the bottom of Mount Snowdon, ready to run to the top and back down (Kara Tontsch).

Prosthetics are likely to cost between £40 to £60 thousand for ones that provide him with the most natural range of movement - suitable for playing the sports he loves.

Ashton Hulme's 'a leg for life' Just Giving page ends on June 1.

A passionate statement from Vicky Hulme on the Just Giving page, reads: "My aim is to take the life long financial burden from the shoulders of my son.

"As a mum you want them to be happy, and I want him to have the best mobility and opportunities he can.

"I don't want him to sacrifice anymore of himself. He has suffered enough already.

"When his friends are saving up for their first cars, or their first homes, I don't want Ashton's life being held back or disrupted anymore by having to fund his own mobility, which is a basic need for anyone."