RUNNERS have raced into Bolton Lads' and Girls' Club record books by raising a massive £50,000 - the organisation's largest single fundraising event.

A team of 62 energetic runners took part in the 13 mile long Great North Run, held in Newcastle last Sunday.

The magnificent total raised will help boost the club's on going £3.5m appeal to build new premises on the site of the former Navada roller skating rink on Spa Road.

Although it is hoped the majority of the cash will be met by the National Lottery Sports Fund the club aims to raise around £500,000 itself.

The club's general manager, Jerry Glover, who also took part in the Great North Run, described the event as a magnificent effort. He said: "Thanks to some sterling local sponsorship we raised, approximately £50,000 to make it our best fundraising event ever!

"It's a very exciting time for the club and we feel very positive that we will reach our target."

Among those supporting the event was Preston's of Bolton and its managing director Andrew Duckworth, who provided £5,000 worth of sponsorship for the event.

And three members Hopkinson family who run Mark Two Distributors, based in Breightmet, raised £12,000 through sponsorship.

Jerry added that he would like to thank everyone who ran the race and those who sponsored the runners.

The next major fundraising event for the club is a annual beer festival at the Howcroft Inn, on Pool Street, over the weekend of October 15 to 18.

Last year, the event raised £12,000 for the club and the organisers hope it will be equally successful this year.

Any firms or individuals who would like to sponsor a barrel of beer should contact the club on Bolton 437288.

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.