Pool marathon raises £1K for children with cancer

Some of the players who took part in the pool marathon at Jackson's Lounge, in Melton

The gruelling event at Jackson’s snooker club, in King Street, was organised by assistant manager Karl Barratt.

Twenty players took it in turns to play and five of them stayed up through the night to raise money for Team Mikayla.

To give the event some structure and help stave off tiredness, the players held a mini tournament.

Izayah Fullerton with the cue and case he won in the pool marathon at Jackson's Lounge

Karl donated a cue and case as first prize but as he was the winner he donated it to another fundraiser, Izayah Fullerton.

Karl added: “Ollie Heaney did some DJ-ing which also helped to keep us going.”

As well as sponsorship money there was a raffle to help boost the sponsorship funds.

Karl said : “We had set a target to £500 so to raise £1,000 is just brilliant.”

The charity was inspired by 16-year-old Mikayla Beames, who has bravely been fighting brain cancer since the age of four.

When she was just six-years-old, Mikayla told her mum she would like to help other children with cancer.

Money raised is spent on granting wishes and so far more than 250 youngsters have benefited with gifts ranging from tablet computers to trips to Peppa Pig World and caravan holidays.

Initially the charity helped children local to Mikayla in the Oxfordshire area but is now granting wishes to youngsters further afield including Leicestershire.

Mikayla has won a string of awards, most recently being named a King's Coronation Champion.