Fundraising hero celebrated by The One Show

Mike Pullin hopes to complete one more skydive in a bid to add to his fundraising total

A man who has spent many years raising money for a hospice has been celebrated by The One Show.

Mike Pullin, 87, was nominated by a close friend. The BBC show then surprised him as the guest of honour on its Big Thank You Series.

Mr Pullin has raised more than £700,000 for Hereford-based St Michael's Hospice in at least 27 years.

His fundraising efforts range from setting up the Hospice Angels motorbiking group to sky diving.

Mr Pullin's work also attracted the attention of Stephen Fry, who said: "We admire you so much."

A humble Mr Pullin praised every person who helped him on his fundraising journey, and called himself more of a "collector".

In one instance he said he was chased down the street by one person who handed him £1,000.

• Listen to BBC Sounds as Stephen Fry praises the Herefordshire hero

He told BBC Hereford & Worcester his fundraising started by "accident" when celebrating his birthday with friends at The Bridge Inn in Kentchurch.

He and his friends staged events and also had a band play.

"In the evening we had a local band play in the marquee and I charged everyone £5 to come in and at the end of it all - £1,650.

"I took it to the hospice and I could see what an amazing place it was and I suppose the obsession was born."

In 2003 Mr Pullin formed the Hospice Angels motorbiking group which has seen him travel to 19 different countries.

He said the fundraising has not just been about collecting money but having a "such an amazing time".