EAST Lancashire folk have been praised after helping a charity raise £116,000 for a hospital.

The East Lancashire Christie Crusaders started in October 1997 as the local fundraising group for the Christie Hospital, Manchester.

They have raised the cash over the last seven years with a events including galas, raffles, fun-runs, football matches and tombolas.

The latest event, at the end of October, was a quiz night and raffle at Darwen's Masonic Hall that raised another £1,524 on top of what has already been collected.

The group today sent out a "huge thank you" to everyone who has helped organise or attended events.

The group's chairperson Margaret Massey said: "Every penny has been spent wisely and put to very good use by the dedicated professionals at Christie's where many people living in East Lancashire benefit from their expertise. We have seen first-hand their genuine emotions of overwhelming delight, gratitude and admiration of this achievement, which we now want to pass on to the people of East Lancashire."

Fundraiser Margaret Seed said: "We are very proud to be associated with the people of East Lancashire, whose continued generosity and kindness has never failed us and without whom this grand total could never have been achieved."