THIS year’s Pendle Pub Walk is set to break the £50,000 barrier after a fantastic effort to raise funds for Pendleside Hospice.

The 10-mile trek, organised by the Rotary Club of Burnley Pendleside, celebrated it’s seventh year in June with around 1,200 walkers taking part.

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At a celebration evening last week, hospice fundraising manager Christina Cope revealed that more than £49,000 had already been raised - and money was still coming in.

The hospice costs more than £3.8million a year to run, with £2.8m of that raised locally.

Mrs Cope said: “The Pendle Pub Walk is one of the area’s favourite walks and raises a huge amount for Pendleside Hospice.

“Thank you to all the people, and even their dogs, who have raised sponsorship money.

“The atmosphere is incredible, with walkers of all ages making the day a memorable one.”

As well as sponsorship from Reedley Hallows Brewing Company, 14 local real-ale pubs also boosted the funding pot.

They included the Pendle Inn and Barley Mow at Barley, the Bay Horse Inn at Roughly, the Rising Sun and Cross Gaits in Blacko, and the Old Bridge Inn and White Bear in Barrowford.

As well as the hospice money, another £5,000 of entry money has gone to Rotary charities.

David Miller, from Burnley, raised the most sponsorship cash by collecting £657.50, and received a special tankard for his efforts.

He said: “I have taken part in the pub walk previously and enjoy the event very much. I raised a similar amount before.

“I’m delighted to be able to support the hospice and thank the Rotary Club members for this splendid tankard.”

Pub Walk organiser, Paul Trudgill, insisted that during trying economic times it was so important that raise funds for the hospice.

He said: “A huge thank you to everyone involved again this year.

“It still warms my heart to see how people put everything they have into raising funds for the hospice, especially as the weather was pretty wet.”