Colin Bloomfield's cancer appeal tops £75,000 target

Colin Bloomfield backed the campaign by the Skcin charity to raise awareness of the dangers of the sun's ultraviolet rays

A skin cancer charity has exceeded its fundraising target the day after the death of a BBC presenter who backed its campaign.

The Skcin charity aimed to raise £75,000 as part of the Colin Bloomfield Melanoma Appeal.

Sally Pepper, a BBC Radio Derby presenter who ran the London Marathon on Sunday, raised more than £13,000 for the appeal.

Sckin spokesman Richard Clifford said: "Colin would have been delighted."

Mr Clifford said: "Colin has left an amazing legacy - he was a great campaigner for greater awareness of the dangers of over-exposure to UV."

The charity's main aim is to provide equipment for schools and make students aware of overexposure to ultraviolet waves.

BBC Radio Derby presenter Sally Pepper ran the London Marathon in just over four hours, raising more than £13,000 for the Skcin charity

The presenter's openness and optimism as he battled the disease touched thousands of people.

Ms Pepper said after the race: "It has been utterly awesome - there were moments along the way when I was digging deep when I said 'that guy went through so much pain that I can do this little bit'.

"It made it even more emotional and poignant to run it today when he passed away yesterday."

The appeal was set up to help educate children in Derbyshire and East Staffordshire about how to stay safe in the sun.

The original fund-raising goal of £45,000 was broken at the end of March after six weeks.

Bloomfield worked at BBC Radio Derby for more than 10 years as a news reporter, Derby County commentator and breakfast show presenter.

Colin Bloomfield died at a hospice in Shropshire on Saturday morning from stage four melanoma