A WIDOW said she felt 'happy but sad' to finally handover a mole mapping machine funded and donated in memory of her husband who died from melanoma.

Mike Hull, of Witton in Droitwich, died aged 67 following a long battle with skin cancer which started in 2016 and near the end of a fundraising campaign for the machine.

During his battle, Mr Hull wanted to raise funds for the mole mapping machine that could give other people a chance to spot melanomas sooner.

It had reached £40,000 around the time of his death in March 2022.

In May, a total of £58,000 was raised, covering £50,000 for the machine, with the rest to be donated to the Peace Project, where Mr Hull donated his tumours and organs after his death.

Carol Hull, Mr Hull's wife, attended a handover ceremony at the University Hospitals Birmingham Trust on Monday, November 27.

She said: "I was happy but sad at the same time, it was an emotional day. I would have loved for Mike to see what he and the around him achieved.

"I just know that this mole-mapping machine is going to help so many people, including those in our county.

"The fire service held a fund-raising event in Redditch town centre a while back which was brilliant. There were so many people involved.

"A walking football event earlier this year raised between £7,000 to £8,000 which tipped us over the goal to afford the machine which was incredible.

"I am incredibly grateful for every teddy bear and bracelet sold, every sausage and bacon bap sold, every quiz held and every other event along the way which went into making this a reality."

Mrs Hull said at one point she had given up hope of ever seeing the mole mapping machine.

She said: "There were a lot of delays over time which started to feel constant, and I had honestly lost all hope of seeing it.

"After lots of disappointment and frustration, things picked up incredibly quickly out of seemingly nowhere, and the machine was here."

The mole-mapping machine has a plaque, in honour of Mr Hull and his fundraising achievement.

The plaque reads: "With grateful thanks to all that helped Mike reach his goal to by a machine so thatchers might achieve early detection of melanoma skin cancer."