Last updated 11:55, Thursday, 04 December 2008

A CHARITY rugby match to raise money for a Whitehaven man’s cancer treatment raised over £1,000.

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The charity rugby match raising money for Michael Kennett

The staff at Flatt Walks Surgery in Whitehaven took on the porters at West Cumberland Hospital in a lads vs lasses game.

It was played at Wath Brow Hornets ground on Sunday and the final score was a very respectable 4-4.

Michael Kennett, 66, of Springfield Avenue, has been denied NHS funding for the drug Avastin because it is not deemed to be “cost effective”, despite several appeals.

He has now started the treatment which will cost the family thousands of pounds so people have been rallying around organising fundraising events to help out.

“It was brilliant, there was a really good atmosphere considering how cold it was,” said Leanne Graham, Michael’s daughter. “We couldn’t have wished for better, lots of people turned up,” she added.

The £1,090 raised will go towards the cost of Michael’s treatment.

Leanne, together with some work colleagues and others, will be running the St Nicholas Church cafe on December 13 to raise funds and there is also a fundraising karaoke and auction at the Lowther Arms, Hensingham, for Michael on December 12.