THE former mayor of Rossendale Jimmy Eaton received a final fundraising boost when he collected more than £2,000 for his charity.

The fundraising champion who managed to raise more than £23,000 alongside his wife Janet, completed more than 300 engagements over the year.

The pair raised 50 per cent more money than any other mayor before which has been distributed between local charities.

Alistair Mitchell, owner of Musbury Fabrics, Holcombe Road, Helmshore, and neighbour Tony Alderson, both of Stacksteads, travelled in a traditional Bow Top gipsy caravan to Appleby's annual horse fair to help notch-up funds for the mayor's charity.

During the two-week trip they travelled 220 miles with the help of Alistair's children's Driving Cobs - Jimmy and Micky.

They went through Accrington, Great Harwood, Clitheroe, Sawley, Westmill, Skipton, Devils Bridge, Kirkby Steven before arriving at Appleby for the annual event.

Alistair and Tony raised £1,600 before the trip but managed to gather an extra £400 for their efforts.

Employees at Musbury fabrics, customers and suppliers all chipped in to help raise funds for the mayor's charity.

Alistair made an official presentation to the former Mayor, Jimmy Eaton at his farm in Stacksteads on Friday.

Alistair, whose company donated T-shirts for the mayor's charity triathalon, said: "We made an official presentation on Friday to Jimmy which he was delighted with."