Tearful Julie Leighton presented cheques to the three charities her late husband, John Leighton, raised money for during his mayoral year.

Mr Leighton, 68, fought a brave fight against cancer for two years but died in January, eight months into his mayoral office.

Just over £5,000 was raised and cheques for £1,674.50 were presented to Dorothy House Hospice, the Wiltshire Air Ambulance Appeal and Devizes Kats and Kits.

Mrs Leighton was overcome with emotion at the presentation of the cheques on Tuesday at Devizes Town Hall.

She thanked everyone who had taken part in events she and her husband had organised for the mayor’s appeal.

She said: “I’m really pleased with the amount of money raised and I think John would be amazed and pleased. It would have meant the world to him handing over the cheques himself.”

Mrs Leighton said her husband had brought fun to the office of mayor while battling his illness.

She said: “He gave everything to it. There were days when he was not feeling completely 100 per cent but he got his chain on and went out to the engagement.”

Mr Leighton attended the day care unit at Dorothy House Hospice in Winsley and he is among patients featured on a new fund-raising DVD the hospice has produced.

Katrina Sudbury, director of fund-raising at Dorothy House, said: “John was a lot of fun and had a lot of energy. He was a larger than life personality and he made life fun for the other patients in the day unit. The DVD is a great tribute to him.”