Almost a year after his death from a rare form of cancer, the family of Brislington man Dave Tew has decided to close the charity he created in 2006.

After raising over £10,000 for local charities, his wife of 32 years Lauren Tew, 55, said she wanted to thank everyone who had supported her and her family though the tragic loss.

She said: "We would like to give huge thanks to everyone who helped raise money for Dave's charity, and although it has now closed, we really want to encourage people to continue to give to the worthwhile causes."

After suffering with abdominal pains for more than 10 years, police patrolman Mr Tew, who lived in Wick Road with his wife and two children, Hannah and Mark, was diagnosed with carcinoid cancer, a rare cancer of the gut in 2004, and told that he only had two years to live.

Beating the odds and fighting beyond his predicted years, in March 2008, Mr Tew was told he had just six weeks left.

But on every morning after that day when he awoke feeling well, the couple celebrated with friends, enjoyed a special meal and champagne.

Then last October, Mr Tew woke up and said the pain had got worse.

He died in November.

Mrs Tew, who works as an NHS nurse, said: "I joked that he had over indulged, but he had started to die.

"Dave died on his 56th birthday on November 23.

"It was a dignified, positive survival during which time he was an inspiration to all lucky enough to know him.

"The message he has left is to live everyday, because you really don't know what could happen.

"That's truly what Dave did, right to the end."

The campaign Let's Beat Cancer raised funds mainly for three organisations – St Peter's Hospice, The Colo-rectal Research Unit at North Bristol Trust and the Quiet Cancer Therapy Appeal.

Knowle's Blue Belles skittles team raised a large amount of the money, as well as Mr Tew's family and friends.

Let's Beat Cancer helped to raise awareness of cancer while encouraging people not to put off something they could do today.

Mrs Tew, who met her husband in 1971 at her local church youth club in Clifton, added: "I didn't expect to meet the love of my life at 17.

"But I was so lucky, and could never have imagined being so happy."

She is now a doting grandmother to daughter Hannah's baby Reuben.