THE memory of a Police Interceptor as a loving family man and a loyal friend is all the inspiration needed to spur his loved ones on in their charity quests.

PC Gavin Smith, who served with Durham Constabulary for 12 years and worked with the roads policing unit based at Spennymoor, County Durham, lost his life to cancer in February.

The Northern Echo: FINISH: The rider complete their C2C challenge at Tynemouth

FINISH: The rider complete their C2C challenge at Tynemouth

Since then a series of fundraising events have been organised in memory of the married father of one, who lived near Bishop Auckland.

Last weekend his wife Kezi, also a police officer, and friends Victoria Bell, Lyndsey Vance and Andy Strong cycled across the country to mark what would have been his 35th birthday.

They rode the 140mile C2C route from Whitehaven to Tynemouth and raised £1,500 for Butterwick Hospice, which supports the couple’s five-year-old daughter Tilly.

Mrs Smith said they all felt proud to complete the ride and after poor weather on day one reached the end with the sun shining, where they released balloons for PC Smith.

She said: “It was an extremely emotional day, being Gav's birthday, but it was his memory that spurred us on, even when facing the steepest of hills.”

She said the fundraising was an amazing achievement and thanked supporters.

Other fundraisers in his memory have included a mile run around police headquarters in Durham for the Sir Bobby Robson Foundation and a police versus players rugby match in Bishop Auckland for the Butterwick Hospice.

This weekend, a group of PC Smith’s friends will take on the National Three Peaks Challenge in aid of a trust fund set up for Tilly and have already raised almost £3,000 to 'go someway to ensuring Gav's dreams for Kezi and Tilly are kept alive'.

They will scale England, Wales and Scotland’s highest mountains- Scafell Pike, Snowdon and Ben Nevis over Saturday into Sunday.

“Gavin asked us for one thing, to look after his wife and daughter when he was gone,” said Neil Marshall.

“Gavin certainly was an inspiration, he was the captain of our university rugby league team and always central to everything we did.”

Mrs Smith said: “What has become really apparent is that so many people have taken up challenges in Gav's memory and it has touched me beyond words.

“Gav always had a positive 'can do' attitude about everything he did, and to see others reflect on this and take similar approach is overwhelming.”