Regulars rally to boost charity

A charity day in memory of a young heart attack victim has raised £3,000 to help prevent similar tragedies.

Friends and family of David Chance held a day of special events as a tribute to the 34-year-old from Newbottle, who died suddenly in December 2003.

The project manager with Sunderland Housing Group was a popular regular at his local, the Sun Inn in Newbottle, and organised the pub’s football team, as well as keeping goal for the side.

Though his friends and family were devastated at his loss, they decided to start a regular event in his memory to raise money for the Cardiac Risk in the Young (CRY) charity, which is campaigning for better screening to detect the signs of heart disease in young people.

And that campaigning is now £3,000 better off, thanks to the special day of events.

Sun Inn licensee and family friend Anna Place said, "We’re just so delighted. David’s wife, Deborah, asked me on the day at about 6pm how much we were going to get.

"I told her I’d be over the moon if we got about £1,200, so when we counted it up and I told her the total, we just couldn’t believe it."

The day was kicked off with a football match at the YMCA in Herrington Burn, which Mrs Place says turned into a ’25—a-side contest’ as so many people turned up.

The pub then hosted dominoes, darts and pool competitions in addition to a space hopper race.

For Mrs Chance, of Oakhampton Drive, Newbottle, the events of the day and the total raised were a fitting tribute to her husband.

“CRY have been absolutely tremendous in their support, so I felt I owed them something," she said.

"They don’t get any Government funding and are totally reliant on people like us.

"I know that if David was here he’d be absolutely honoured to be raising funds for such a good cause."