'Puff the Dragon' receives a special thank you from Bridgnorth artist

Dana Powers, aka Puff the Dragon, has been running marathons and hosting fundraisers for years, and one Bridgnorth resident thought she would like to thank him for all his hard work in the form of a special portrait.

Tricia Bennett, who lives in Bridgnorth and is a retired teacher, said she wanted to be able to give something back to Dana after his many years of charity work, even after suffering a heart attack earlier this year.

"A few years ago I took a photograph of Dana in Bridgnorth, when he was fundraising for Asthma UK," Tricia said.

"His thumbs are up in the painting because I asked if I could take a picture and he said yes. So I've had the photo for a couple of years.

"I go to Paul Hopkins art classes and I was looking for something new to paint. I fancied painting the dragon, and so I found this old picture, and I thought if it's successful I will give it to him."

Back in April this year, Dana was recovering from a heart attack at New Cross Hospital in Wolverhampton.

Tricia said that after a tough year, she wanted to put a smile on his face.

"It's taken me quite a long time to do the painting," she said.

"I didn't know Dana before all this, we had only seen him running round Bridgnorth a few times.

"The painting was successful, and I took it round to him last week, he was very pleased with it and asked if he could put it on Facebook. It was a tribute really, to all his years of fundraising.

"I started painting it when he fell ill with a heart attack this year.

"He is a character of Bridgnorth and we always see him about. I have been painting since I retired as a teacher and I love it."

Dana's next goal is to fundraise for the New Cross heart and lung department, after they took good care of him.