A FIREFIGHTER from Torfaen has successfully completed the first of seven mammoth charity challenges he will undertake this summer.

Last Thursday, father-of-three Gareth Bridgewater, from Griffithstown, completed a 45-mile walk in Brecon – the first of seven high endurance events to raise money for the Velindre Cancer Centre.

With the sun beating down on them, Mr Bridgewater and fellow firefighter Steve Nelmes, battled 28 degree heat on the route from Brecon town towards Merthyr, to the top of Pen y Fan, to Storey Arms and back.

He said: “We successfully completed it in just under eight-and-a-half hours and it was a brilliant day.

“Luckily we had no injuries, I had a little pain in my leg, but the main battle was keeping hydrated and we got through about 10 litres of water each.”

He said that completing the first event has spurred him on to get ready for the next, which is the Tumble Up for Life on May 9.

He added: “I’m a little nervous as next is the Tumble Up for Life on May 9, which is one of the hardest."

“It will see me cycling up The Tumble and back down over 15 hours and I aim to complete 12 climbs.”

Mr Bridgewater was due to take on the challenge in 2010 to mark five years since his father, David Bridgewater, died following a battle against lung cancer at the age of 60.

But an accident saw him having metal rods in his leg and learning to walk again.

But due to an accident he was unable to undertake it.

It was while at the scene of a crash on Henllys Lane on February 6, 2010, that he was struck when a truck slid off the road breaking his femur and tearing ligaments in his shoulder.

He underwent an operation to place metal rods and pins in his leg, had his shoulder rebuilt with synthetic ligaments, and had to learn to walk again, before going back to work 13 months later.

After the Tumble up for Life challenge, he is off to the Bristol Bike Fest in June, then he will undertake The Monster Sportive in mid-Wales.

August will see him take part in the Wales Coast to Coast challenge, before completing a 75 mile run in September and finishing with Bristol’s cycling event Oktoberfest in October.

To boost his fundraising efforts, Mr Bridgewater is running two marathons on a treadmill in Pontypool Tesco wearing his full 30lb kit including breathing apparatus.

Visit justgiving.com/gareth-bridgewater1.