Cycle ride raises £1,000 to help cancer patient

Two teenagers cycled about 50 miles from Ollerton to the Peak District to raise money for a young father with cancer.

The two pupils from the Dukeries College, Konor Klein (15) of Hardwick Drive, Ollerton, and Sean Smith (16) of Tuxford Road, Boughton, cycled from the Ollerton and Boughton Scout and Guide Activity Centre on Back Lane to Castleford in Derbyshire.

Konor’s father, Mr Paul Klein, a lorry driver, cycled with the boys and they were followed in a truck by Konor’s mother, Mrs Karen Klein.

When they reached Castleford they cycled up Mam Tor which is 517m (1,696ft) high.

Konor and Sean did the challenge to raise money for Mr Simon Hennessy (29) of Mansfield, who is Mrs Klein’s cousin.

Mr Hennessy, a former pupil of Forest View and Tuxford Schools, was recently diagnosed with a malignant tumour.

He is married to Mrs Louise Hennessy and the couple have a 10-month-old son, Mason.

Mr Hennessy had an operation to remove some of the tumour but surgeons were unable to remove all of it because there was a risk of paralysing him.

He recently completed a course of radiotherapy at the Queen’s Medical Centre, Nottingham to try and kill the remaining cancer.

Konor and Sean have raised around £1,000 for Mr Hennessy which will go towards the cost of travelling to and from the hospital.

It will also help to pay for any alternative treatment Mr Hennessy might need if they find the radiotherapy has not killed the cancer.

Mrs Klein said the boys had received a lot of support from staff and pupils at the Dukeries College where she works as a dinner lady.