SINCE the Magic Eye golf tournament teed off in May, more than 30 golf clubs have boosted the appeal from the green.

Entry fees have been totted-up and the golfing 'toffs' are believed to have topped an £8,000 donation to the Lancashire Evening Telegraph appeal.

The contest, which reached the final at Pleasington Golf Club, was the brainchild of Blackburn, Hyndburn and Ribble Valley NHS Trust chairman Ian Woolley.

Narrow winner of the men's tournament with 38 points was Mark Westwell from Blackburn golf club and runner-up Stewart Smith, with 37 points, from Pleasington golf club. They were presented with silver claret jugs.

Sixteen teams out of 20 East Lancashire Golf Association club's joined in the men's tournament. Ian said: "This goes to show what sportsmen and women can do for charity. The support over the last months has been tremendous and I say a huge thank-you to everyone."

Experienced players from 17 clubs in the ladies competition took to the Pleasington green on September 23.

Winner Joan Whittaker, of Whalley Golf Club, and runner-up Janet Stevens, of Pleasington Golf Club, both returned what were described as 'remarkable scores'.

The Evening Telegraph appeal aims to raise £200,000 for a special scanner which can diagnose cancers of the stomach and oesophagus far more accurately and gives a clear picture of what stage they have reached so medical teams can operate and treat with pinpoint precision.

The scanner will benefit the whole of the East Lancashire area and could help at least 600 patients a year.