THE friends and family of a terminally ill bingo fanatic pulled out all the stops by bringing the game to her front door.

Sue Beeley is the licensee at the Toll Bar in Chorley New Road, Horwich, and has been a regular at Mecca Bingo in Bolton for almost 40 years.

However, after being diagnosed with terminal lung cancer in August, Mrs Beeley, aged 61, had to put an end to her trips after a series of strokes meant she required around-the-clock care. So instead, daughters Tina and Joanne, and son-in-law Darren Smith, came up with the idea of bringing the bingo to her, and Mecca duly obliged.

On Wednesday evening, more than 100 of Sue’s family and friends packed out the Toll Bar for a night’s bingo in aid of Macmillan Cancer Support.

Mr Smith, said: “This all started when I made a speculative phone call to Mecca and asked them to come here. We thought ‘if she can’t go to the bingo, we will try to bring it to her!’

“We’ve not paid a penny for anything. The support of everyone has been beyond belief.

“Mecca have come out for nothing to provide all the entertainment. Everyone we have approached has said ‘yes’.”

Mrs Beeley has been at the pub for 16 years, and, according to her family, lays claim to being the oldest licensee in Horwich.

Her popularity within the town is such that local businesses banded together to raise more than £2,000 in raffle prizes, which included an array of gift vouchers, a two night break, and a signed Bolton Wanderers shirt and match tickets.

Bookmakers William Hill, whose Mrs Beeley’s daughter Joanne works for, have also promised to double any proceeds up to £500.

Joanne said: “The support has been overwhelming.

“My mum has been playing bingo since I was a toddler.

“She’s the bingo queen. I think Mecca noticed she wasn’t there because sales would’ve dropped. They’re used to seeing her face three of four times a week.

“We managed to get her down on November 1 for her birthday.

“It was very difficult, and didn’t work out as we wanted it to, but she just wanted to go to bingo.

“When we got her there, Mecca made such a fuss of her.

“They have a lot of respect for her.”

Of the evening, Mrs Beeley said: “I have missed going to bingo and seeing my friends.It’s absolutely marvellous.”