A WILPSHIRE man cycled 843 miles from one end of the country to the other to raise money for hospital staff who made 'huge efforts' to save his best friend's life.

Chris Southworth, 26, raised £1,000 for the Blackburn Royal Infirmary Intensive Care Unit for their attempt to save 30-year-old Steven Wynne, who died after falling and fracturing his skull last May.

Chris cycled from Land's End to John O'Groats to raise the money.

He said: "It's great to do something for the unit that did so much to try and save Steve. We were friends since we were kids -for about 14 years - and he was a great lad."

The six-day bike trip saw Chris pedalling 120 miles-per-day.

Chris, of Ribchester Road, said: "I've been cycling a lot and I've been all around Europe.

"I've been to France and I used to race as a semi-professional so it was good fun and beneficial at the same time.

"I'm hoping to raise more for him before we hand the money over to the unit."

He added: "Most of the sponsors were from the Wilpshire Hotel on Whalley Road and I'm really grateful to them."

Steven had just completed his first year at the University of Central Lancashire, and was studying history and health studies before his death.

The former Parklands High School student fell on Sunday, May 19, when he tried to climb to a window of his first floor Fairways Court, Wilpshire, home after leaving his keys in the flat.

He visited the Blackburn Royal Infirmary the following Friday and was later admitted to the Blackpool Victoria Hospital where the fracture was not diagnosed, an inquest heard.

A Home Office pathologist later revealed that, if diagnosed quicker, something could have been done to prevent Steve's death.

Staff at the Infirmary have since admitted that something could and should have been done sooner.

Mother, Denise Warbuton, 48, from Clitheroe, said: "The Intensive care unit staff were simply excellent and I can't thank them enough for what they've done for my son.

"And the way the hospital has dealt with our complaint about Steven's diagnosis - they were quick and sympathetic and very good. That's all we wanted and now it's done."

In a letter to the family, health bosses said they had let Simon down and that more could have been done to help him.

Half-sister Leanne Warbuton, 21, said: "We are all really happy about what Chris has done for Steven and in a way, it helps to keep his memory alive.

"It's still very hard for us to come to terms with his death but we are really glad that something can be given back to the unit that did such a good job in caring for him in his final days."

John Dell, acting chief executive of the Infirmary, said: "On behalf of Blackburn, Hyndburn and Ribble Valley Health Care NHS Trust, I would like to thank Mr Southworth and all the people who sponsored him for his kind donation to the Intensive Care Unit at the Infirmary in memory of Steven Wynne.

"The staff on the unit are very appreciative of this generosity and will ensure that the money is put to good use."