THE appeal to build a radiotherapy unit in Swindon has reached the half million pounds mark – but patron comedian Rory Bremner is hoping it will be halfway to the £2.9 million target by the end of the year.

He was at the Great Western Hospital yesterday to meet fundraisers and trustees of the Dr Thomas Cranston Wilson Trust whose £50,000 donation pushed the Brighter Futures campaign past the landmark figure less than a year after it was launched.

“Personally I would love to get to halfway before Christmas,” he said, adding that the need for a radiotherapy facility here was clear.

“We know there are three quarters of a million people in this area. Oxford cannot cope with the sheer demand. It makes sense for them to build a satellite radiotherapy unit here.

“We all give to national cancer charities, but at the moment this is the biggest local charity that there is.”

“We know, looking round our family and out friends, we have seen people who are affected,” said Rory, whose father was appeal secretary for Cancer Research before he died from cancer.

He described how he had lost his best friend Ronnie Armist to the disease in April last year after an eight-year battle.

“I think of him every day,” he said.

“I would say this has to be one of Swindon’s priorities as far as appeals are concerned because it will affect that many people.

“Not many people know, until they find out the hard way, there is no radiotherapy available in Swindon.”

Even while people were donating they would be aware that there were patients travelling along the A420 to and from treatment.

But now that the first flush of publicity was over the challenge was to keep the appeal moving.

“I call these the hard yards,” he said, which was why the Superhero Run at Lydiard Park on May 8 was so important.

James Hussey is one of the appeal’s staunchest supporters and has helped to raise around £20,000. He became involved having lost his wife Gill 18 months ago.

He could see the toll the daily journey to the Churchill Hospital in Oxford took on her, all for a few seconds of treatment.

“It is five days a week for six weeks at a point where your life has collapsed on you. To go through a process that is going to make you feel worse, not better,” he said.

His farm at Broad Hinton attracted thousands last summer with a bird-shaped crop circle. It also hosted a 10k run which is set to return this year.

Barbury International horse trials in July will also be raising money for the appeal with a lunch.

Visit entrycentral.com/superhero to enter the Superhero Run. Fees are £15 for adults, £10 for children and runners can choose between the 10k and 5k routes.