AN ARMY veteran is embarking on a 130-mile run in memory of former comrades.

Sean Gregory will run from Wrexham to Swansea in March in the hope of raising £10,000 for the families of four friends who have died in recent years.

One of the friends he will be running in memory of is Royal Welsh soldier Richard Williams, of Rhuddlan, who was killed in a road traffic traffic collision.

The dad-of-three, who was married to Rhian, served in 1st Battalion, The Royal Welsh and was deployed in Iraq, Afghanistan and Estonia on operational tour.

Sean, of Wrexham, joined the army (Royal Welch Fusiliers) in 2003, and is a veteran of Iraq, Northern Ireland and Afghanistan before leaving the forces in 2013.

Throughout his time in the forces, the regiment lost some 20 soldiers - with some killed in action, in tragic accidents or having sadly having taken their own lives.

As well as Sgt Williams, Sean is looking to raise money for Richard Blain, of Wrexham, who died in a road traffic collision in Yorkshire last year - he had four children.

Daniel Gomez, a dad of two from Swansea, who tragically took his own life after a battle with mental illness and Michael Thacker, of Cwmbran, South Wales, who was killed in action while serving in Afghanistan in 2010 - leaving behind one child.

The money raised from the campaign - titled ‘Four brothers, 10 children’ - will all go to their families.

He said: “Four of the boys have been very recent and have 10 children between them, I feel so sorry for the families - especially the children - as they are very young.

“I have been an emotional wreck these past two months - its been a total kick to the stomach and felt like a constant wave of negative and sad, unfortunate news.

“So I have decided to try and make a positive out of such a negative situation for the families and children involved.

“Hopefully I will raise enough to send the children on a holiday or whatever they may need to bring a smile to their little faces.”

Sean is also doing the run in memory of all his former comrades who have died in recent years.

These include Jonathon Boulter (Cardiff), who took his own life, Jonathan Burgess (Swansea) - killed in action, Michael Campbell (Colwyn Bay) - who died following an operation as a result of gunshot wound sustained in Afghanistan, Dave Jones (Wrexham) - who took his own life, aged 19. Others include Simon Daw (Cardiff), Dylan Jones (Carmarthenshire), Sean Griffiths (Market Drayton) who accidentally shot and killed on a firing range, Gwynant Jones (Haverfordwest), Steve Healey (Cardiff) - killed in action, Stephen Jones (Denbigh) - killed in a road traffic collision in Iraq, Jason Parry (Rhondda) and Lee James (Llanelli) and Colin Dolan (Wrexham) - both suicide.

Sean said of the challenge: “I was always a bit of a fitness fanatic in my younger years and throughout my military career - but since I left the forces I feel I have lived my life without purpose and haven’t kept up with much of the fitness so this is a huge mental and physical challenge for me.”

But thankfully, Sean won’t be alone on his epic journey.

He added: “I have recently added a very good friend of mine - Lyndon Barton - into the event.

“We are both from Wrexham and grew up together and were deployed on operational tours to Iraq and Afghanistan together.

“He will be following me on the event on a pushbike encouraging me along the way and carrying essential kit and equipment we will need.”

To donate, visit www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/sean-gregory-2