Pub raises £66,000 for charity

A pub and its customers have raised a staggering £66,000 for charity with a downhill Wacky Races-style soapbox dash.

The race, which took place outside the Meynell Ingram Arms, in Hoar Cross near Lichfield on December 29 attracted more than 6,000 spectators and 40 racing teams.

Participants had to pay to enter the race, their carts were then sponsored and bets were taken on who would win. Further funds were raised by people circulating around the crowd with a collection bucket and the pub donated all the takings from food sales on the day to the collection fund. All proceeds were donated to the Acorns Children's Hospice.

Licensee Guy Wallis said that the annual event, which was set up four years ago by the Meynell Arms Drinkers (MAD) Club - a group of customers who meet regularly at the pub to organise charity events - had become a bit of a local institution.

"We have a huge following at the pub," he said. "People travel for miles to get here. It was a super day and a little stressful as we had to serve so many people.

"The pub is the hub of it all. We set up four bars in the car park to ease the pressure."

The race was won by a banana inspired cart. Other homemade entries included a bathtub on wheels and a Chitty Chitty Bang Bang replica.