Members of a running club in St Clears have pulled together to fundraise for Wales Air Ambulance.

The Taf Running and Orienteering Team (TROTs) formed over 25 years ago and compete in road, multi terrain and cross-country races across West Wales, the UK and around the world.

Recently, the club's members joined forces to raise an impressive £500 for the charity.

The members have first-hand experience of the lifesaving work of the charity after needing the assistance of Wales Air Ambulance on two separate occasions.

Richard Phillips, TROT’s club secretary, said “We recently had an emergency at Colby parkrun where a runner had a heart attack during the run and the Wales Air Ambulance arrived within 8 minutes. The charity assisted the patient along with the road ambulance, who then took him to hospital where he thankfully made a full recovery.

He continued “More sadly and even more recently, a member of the club was involved in a road accident where he was air lifted to hospital by the Air Ambulance. Sadly, he lost his life, despite the Air Ambulance giving him every chance possible, tragically he died from his injuries. The money was donated directly from the club after this tragic accident.”

Since forming in the late 1980s, the TROTs membership has grown and now includes more than 70 regular runners from under 16 to over 60. The runners have helped with the establishment of the Llyn Llech Owain parkrun in Cross Hands, as well as the Colby parkrun, with its members committing to voluntary work at these locations each week.

Katie Thomas, Community Co-ordinator for Pembrokeshire, said “We’d like to thank the TROT’s running club for their generous donation. I had the pleasure of meeting the St Clears TROTs running club and receiving their generous donation on behalf of WAA. I look forward to keeping in touch with the members and helping out with any further fundraising events they do for WAA.”