A GROUP of pensioners got their hearts’ desire thanks to a marathon effort by one of their carers.

Scott Bates, from Sedgley, raised £1,158 when he ran the Carver Wolverhampton City Marathon on September 4.

The 32-year-old, who is an activities coordinator at Ditton Priors Care Centre, near Bridgnorth, wanted to raise enough to grant the wish of residents at the home to go to the seaside for fish and chips.

His sponsorship covered the cost of taking 14 residents, accompanied by eight members of staff, by coach to Barmouth, where their treats also included ice creams.

And, thanks to an anonymous £500 donation from a Sedgley well-wisher, who read about his effort in the Dudley News, there is enough left over to fund a 1940s Halloween disco and a Christmas pub meal.

“It was fantastic to see the look of joy on the residents’ faces to be beside the seaside,” said Scott, a father-of-two, of The Ridgeway.

“It made all the training for the marathon worthwhile.”

Scott, who is working towards achieving his NVQ Level II in care, had always wanted to run the Wolverhampton marathon, just like his father, Christopher Bates, did in the early 1980s.

Besides raising money for the care home residents, he also aimed to beat his father’s time of four hours and 58 minutes, which he managed by two minutes.

“I did it in four hours 56 minutes, which I am pleased with, especially as I was hampered by being dressed up as a granny in a skirt,” said Scott.