A SPECTACULAR £41,600 was raised by guests at a special ball to commemorate the life of businessman Tony Rink.

Mr Rink who died last December was a prominent figure in Bolton and for many years was closely connected with the Lads and Girls Club.

So when his friends and his widow Vivienne got together at The Last Drop at the weekend, their twin objectives were to remember Mr Rink of Lostock, who had been joint chairman of Wolstenholme Rink -- and raise cash for his favourite charity.

They dug deep into their pockets and came up with the incredible sum.

And it was one which staggered club manager Jeremy Glover.

"It was spectacular," he said.

Members of the Club helped with the entertainment which had a Circus theme when they provided the welcoming party -- some on stilts and some juggling.

"Tony was a big influence and he saw the Club develop over the years," added Mr Glover.

There was a moving address from joint organiser John Prestwich and from Mrs Rink who asked the audience to "remember Tony's achievements and his passions and to enjoy the evening."

Mr Glover explained that friends came from all over the North West and London for the one-off Ball which took six months to organise by Mr Prestwich, and his wife Caroline, Lyndsey Moore and Emma Warburton. The cash was raised through raffles and an auction.

One of the auction lots was a week on a boat in Spain with a crew which fetched £4,000.

"Another was a week's stay at a large house on the shores of Lake Windermere which was bought for £2,000. The generous person who bid for it came over and offered it straight back to the Club for the children next year. It was incredible," said Mr Glover.

The prize will go a long way to the Club's goals for next year -- getting youngsters out of Bolton for fresh air and fun.

Mr Glover said the £41,600 will go towards the cost of activities for the members for the next 18 months.

The Club has had a fantastic year. Last December they were awarded a £3.7million lottery grant for their new headquarters to be built on the old Nevada Skating Rink which is due for completion in December 2001. In January local businesses got together and donated £150,000 to the 110 year-old club and this year they had a royal visit from the Duke of Gloucester.

Next year it is all systems go with the building work at their new home already well underway.

This week they had another boost when Bolton builder G & J Seddon made a £25,000 donation.

Laura Nuttall, chairman of the club who has overseen the development of the project since its inception in 1994, said: "This is a wonderful and generous donation, it really shows what a great company Seddons are."

G & J Seddon Limited is also an old established part of Bolton -- it started in 1897 in Little Hulton and still under the direction of the third and fourth generations of the family.

And it also has a similar philosophy to the Club -- to see youngsters achieve. The company has a strong commitment to training and recruits up to 12 apprentices each year.