A 29 YEAR old man fighting cancer has won a VW campervan and helped save one of the Yorkshire Dales oldest and most popular tourist attractions.

Chris Riley who was diagnosed with stage four stomach cancer is the winner of the crowdfunding raffle run by the owners of Stump Cross Caverns. Lisa Bowerman put up her beloved camper van in a crowdfunding raffle. They raised over £70,000 which ensures that the Caverns, near Pateley Bridge, can reopen on May 17.

Lisa says they have lost nearly £500,000 over the past year because of the pandemic, the caves which would normally attract 60,000 visitors had less than 15,000. They were also dismayed not to receive anything from special cultural heritage funding through lockdown and have launched a petition calling on Chancellor Rishi Sunak to help.

Chris, a barber from Keighley, said: "Having had a tough 12 months, following my diagnosis, this was the best news ever. I’ve responded well to recent chemotherapy treatment and am hopeful doctors will give me the green light to return to work, we're now planning to go round the UK this summer."

Lisa said: "It was an emotional moment when I heard about Chris' story. It means so much to us to know the appeal, and the generosity of our supporters, has not only saved the caves from closure and safeguarded our team, but will also help someone who’ll really benefit from this prize."

As well as the Save the Caves petition they're launching another crowdfunding raffle with their £130,000 flat in Pateley Bridge as the main prize, to pay for vital lighting repairs inside the caverns.

Lisa added :"It's been a tough year for Stump Cross as social distancing and forced closures mean ticket sales have been down and lost trade over Easter has been a key factor. It’s a massive blow to have to sell another personal possession but we’ve got nowhere else to turn. Unlike other heritage sites, similar to ours, who’ve benefited from funding, we’ve been left to fend for ourselves, that's why we're asking people to sign this petition."