Wigan hospice fund-raisers are taking place in Spain in memory of a pub landlady-turned-reality TV star

For years Maria Ryan and her wife Jill ran the Springfield pub in Springfield but, after decamping to Benidorm to start a new life, they found fame on the long-running Channel 5 show Bargain Loving Brits.

Sadly Maria passed away from cancer on new year’s eve 2024, having returned to Britain to fight the illness with her children and grandchildren around her.

Her final weeks were spent being cared for at Wigan and Leigh Hospice and since then thousands of pounds have been raised locally by family and friends, especially her son Ryan Edwards who has already completed numerous long-distance running challenges including Wigan Half Marathon, Manchester to Liverpool Ultra (50 miles) and the Three Peaks Challenge, scaling Ben Nevis, Snowdon and Scafell Pike in less than 24 hours.

His next big one takes place on Tuesday November 25 when he runs 40 miles from Alicante Airport to Benidorm.

Meanwhile Jill, who is back in Spain, is holding a musical event involving many of her singer friends on the same day. And it is all in aid of the hospice again.

Ryan has a GoFundMe page to which people can make donations and sponsor his latest run.

Close family friend Bernadette Cunliffe said: “Maria was a much loved wife, mother, grandmother and became a great grandmother just two weeks before her passing. She was also a much loved and missed friend to many,

"it's great that everyone is still coming together in her memory to raise money for the wonderful hospice which does such amazing work.

"Maria did a lot of charity work herself once she moved out to Benidorm about 14 years ago, especially for a local orphanage, and also researched family trees.

"She also used to do runs with Ryan when she was a bit younger, so no wonder he’s taking on all these exhausting challenges!”

A number of Wigan family members and friends are planning on heading out to Spain to support the fund-raisers.