MEMBERS and friends of The Trowbridge and District Metal Detecting Club have raised a magnificent £43,000 for charity.

Up to 800 detectorists from all over the country took part in The Rodney Cook Memorial Rally at a site near Marlborough for a charity weekend of metal detecting.

The event raised a total of £43,000 for charities, including £5,000 for Young Lives vs Cancer formerly known as CLIC Sargent.

Ray Case, treasurer of the Trowbridge and District Metal Detecting Club, said: “The weekend was a great success.

"We had some great finds over the weekend, ranging from Roman brooches to modern buttons and Saxon Sceat to suspicious items which were blown up and everything in between, including a lot of hammered coins."

"We are all really proud of the fact that in the last three years we have held this event we have raised well over £100,000 for different charities."

"No one expects a child to have cancer. It was devastating as a family when my grandson was diagnosed with Acute Lymphoblastic Leukaemia five years ago, who now fortunately is doing really well.

"The charity Young Lives vs Cancer provided fantastic support for my daughter and her family which is why we chose to support this charity once again.

"The charity supported my daughter with a social worker, community charity nurses, and family days out, siblings’ days and most importantly they were there for when she needed it most.”

Liz Blunt, senior fundraising engagement manager for South Central for Young Lives vs Cancer said: “It sounds like the Trowbridge and District Metal Detecting Rally was a huge success and a thoroughly enjoyable weekend.

"We are powered by the kindness of others such as Ray and our valued volunteer, Paula Watts who represented the charity so well at the event selling cakes at the cake stand.

"We are so grateful for this very generous donation of £5,000 to support children and young people with cancer.

"September is Childhood Cancer Awareness Month, so it’s very fitting that this charity event happened during this month.

"Every day in this country, families of 12 children and young people, from babies to under 25 year olds find out that they have cancer.

"We only can provide the specialist tailored practical, emotional and financial support for families from helping with grants, liaising with schools, or helping with housing issues because of our supporters like The Trowbridge and District Metal Detecting Club.

"The amount of money they raised is absolutely fantastic and could pay for four families to stay a month each in one of our 'Homes from Home' which are close by to specialist hospitals such as Bristol Children’s Hospital.”

If you would like to raise funds to support children and young people with cancer, please go to the charity website https://www.younglivesvscancer.org.uk/join-our-fight/get-fundraising/