A POPULAR landlord who backed our Magic Eye Appeal after having a life-saving operation to beat cancer has now raised nearly £2,000 towards the fund.

The latest fund-raising event held by 55-year-old Bob Tipping, of the White Lion, Huncoat, was a charity auction which raised more than £500.

Added to two previous events, which included a charity bike ride from Blackpool to Huncoat and an open dominoes contest, the pub and its regulars have raised just short of £2,000.

The auction on Saturday night was based on a sporting theme and memorabilia from a whole host of sporting sides from the North West went under the hammer.

Everything from signed shirts, footballs and photographs from teams such as Liverpool, Blackburn Rovers and England were snapped up.

Bob said: "It was a superb evening. The place was absolutely packed out and everyone who came in left at the end of the night with something."

Bob has backed the appeal since he needed ten hours of surgery to remove part of his oesophagus and stomach a year ago.

His first reaction to the news of his illness was to fundraise and 'go out with a bang'.

He is planning his next fund-raising adventure for the appeal.