War widow Samantha Roberts will collect a cheque in her husband's memory tomorrow after a massive fundraising drive for the Royal British Legion.

More than £14,000 was raised in pubs during the Steve Roberts Challenge which was held in memory of the Shipley tank commander who was the first British soldier to be killed in combat during last year's war in Iraq.

All the proceeds from the challenge, held by Keighley brewery Timothy Taylor, will go to the Royal British Legion's Poppy Appeal.

Dave Fergus, of the Royal British Legion, said: "Steve was from this area and loved his ale. The brewery has close links to the military and so the idea came about.

"Tomorrow it will be a personal visit for Samantha in memory of Steve and very poignant for her.

"We are delighted she has supported us throughout everything. She has been tremendous for the appeal."

The licensees of the top five fundraising pubs each won a special prize linked to the Armed forces including a day at sea with the Royal Navy, a parachute jump and a day at Catterick Barracks.

The pub that raised the most money was the Cat In The Well at Wainstalls, Halifax, followed by the Malt Shovel at Baildon which raked in more than £1,100 for the former servicemen and women's charity.

Mrs Roberts, 32, has been pressurising Defence Secretary Geoff Hoon to accept responsibility for her 33-year-old husband's death.

He had been forced to give away his flak jacket fitted with ceramic plates to another solder because of equipment shortages on the frontline. A Ministry of Defence inquiry into his death is underway.

But she has also maintained a high-profile support of the RBL's Poppy Appeal attending the launch on what should have been her second wedding anniversary last October.

Starting the Steve Roberts Challenge, she said her husband would have been "really chuffed".

"He loved his beer - that's an understatement," she said. " He also thought a lot about the Legion and looked up to the people who fought in the World Wars."

Charles Dent, managing director of Timothy Taylor, is Honorary Colonel of the East and West Riding Regiment TA Ypres.