A MAN from Meliden walked up and down Yr Wyddfa six times in less than 24 hours last weekend in aid of a mental health charity, and in memory of his late father.

Dan Lewis, 42, took part in the “Snowdon24” ultra-trail on July 7 and 8, which saw him walk 60 miles and cover 21,000ft in 19 hours and 56 minutes.

In doing so, he raised £1,105 for “Mind”, a charity close to his heart after his father, Douglas, took his own life in 2001.

The event was also particularly poignant for Dan, given Yr Wyddfa was his “childhood playground”, and that his father’s ashes were scattered at its summit.

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He said: “You never know people’s reasons for it, but he brought us up around Yr Wyddfa and always wanted to be up there.

“My childhood playground was Yr Wyddfa; I first climbed it when I was six years old, and have done it umpteen times since.”

Dan completed three laps of Yr Wyddfa consecutively before stopping to eat, before going on to reach his target of six laps.

He was determined to take on an “ultra-marathon” after completing his first marathon last year.

“With my dad’s ashes at the top, it was more of an incentive to keep going up, and to say a quick ‘hello’ to him,” he added.

“I’m a big fundraiser, and my dad has got me through all of my challenges. I’ll give anything difficult a go; I just think of him and try to push through.”