THE Mayor of Dudley's chosen charities are set to receive a £2,300 boost thanks to local politicians.

Dudley North MP Ian Austin and Councillor Adam Aston will hand over the cash to Councillor Margaret Aston later on today (Thursday) to benefit Action Heart and Guide Dogs.

The money is part of the £4,600 raised by the Bert Bissell Memorial Walk which saw the politicians and a group of local people climb Ben Nevis.

They climbed Britain's highest peak in memory of Dudley hero Bert Bissell, a probation officer who climbed Ben Nevis on VJ Day in 1945 and many times afterwards, constructing a Peace Cairn at its summit.

The rest of the cash raised through the memorial walk has been split between the British Legion, the Children’s Unit at Russells Hall Hospital and Black Country Fast Aid to support local ambulances.

Mr Austin said: “I’m really pleased we’ve been able to support the brilliant work of Guide Dogs and Action Heart in Dudley.

“Local people have been so generous. Bert Bissell was a great friend of my family and the generosity local people have shown in his memory is a great tribute to the wonderful work he did in the area.”