A FUNDRAISER who wrote a song and raised £50,000 for Cancer Research UK has won an award for his composition and charity work.

Neil Fitzpatrick, of Scarborough, wrote and released a song called ‘Apart’ almost four years ago following the loss of several close family members to cancer.

The song, which can be found online on YouTube and Spotify, has won a UK International Song contest, was featured on a Sky TV series and has been published by the world’s largest Independent Music Publisher, Peer Music. It has now been named Featured Overall International Winner and Best Original Song, with Neil named as Best Songwriter in awards run by Music Aid, the world’s leading non-profit music organisation.

Neil said: “Obviously I’m over the moon that my song continues to be recognised, but I’m especially happy that it is still raising funds for research into an awful disease that has taken so much from me, and many others close to me.”

Neil and a close friend Brett McMann have also run marathons for the charity and are now in training for the London Marathon. The pair are also busy organising their Apart Ball at The Crown Spa in Scarborough which has a James Bond theme and is called Skyball and takes place on Saturday, March 17.

Charity spokeswoman Rachel Speight-McGregor said the pair’s achievements were ‘incredible'.