A GRUELLING fundraising effort to raise money for a new cricket club bar in memory of a club legend has nearly doubled its original target.

Cllr Steven Chadwick, deputy mayor of Horwich town council, completed a 127 mile walk of the Leeds to Liverpool canal to help raise money towards Horwich RMI Cricket Club’s plans to build a new outdoor bar for club stalwart Tony Haydock.

Tony Haydock, from Blackrod, died suddenly at his home on February 25, aged just 54.

He had been following Horwich RMI Cricket Club for years, doing everything he could for the club, helping to run it, despite not officially being on the committee.

The Bolton News: Tony Haydock, who died suddenly in February aged 54Tony Haydock, who died suddenly in February aged 54

The club described his loss as “huge”.

Cllr Chadwick completed the walk on June 25, raising £1,760 in the process so far.

This is on top of the club’s own fundraiser for ‘Tony’s bar’, which has currently raised £7,725 of its £10,000 target so far.

Cllr Chadwick, said: “It was very painful and much harder than I thought it would be but definitely worth it.

“Beating the target was definitely a big boost as it was starting to get very tough and the support I got along the way was great.

“This was just one walk but there are countless volunteers at the club who work all the time keeping it as good as it can be.

The Bolton News: Deputy mayor of Horwich, Cllr Steven Chadwick, at the end of the Leeds to Liverpool canal walk to raise money for a new bar at Horwich RMI Cricket Club in memory of Tony HaydockDeputy mayor of Horwich, Cllr Steven Chadwick, at the end of the Leeds to Liverpool canal walk to raise money for a new bar at Horwich RMI Cricket Club in memory of Tony Haydock

“Tony gave up so much for the greater good of the club and the town. We need more people like him so I was very glad to be able to do this to help raise money for the bar, which would be a very fitting tribute.”

Horwich RMI CC club secretary, Stuart Leigh, organised the original fundraiser for the outdoor bar area saying that it was always Tony’s ambition to build an outside bar/patio area at the club so they could accommodate more people at the game.

He said: “We’d always wanted a proper outside bar but never gone through with it because of a lack of funds, but it was always Tony’s biggest wish for the club.

“It was so long not getting a bar that he built one in his own house. You could always rely on Tony, he wanted to do anything he could to help, he was just such a big part of the club ­— absolutely everyone knew him.”

After Cllr Chadwick finished his walk, the club said: “The club will always be always be indebted to your effort.”

To donate, visit justgiving.com/crowdfunding/horwichrmioutdoorbar.