THE Railway Benefit Fund and Cancer Research are each to receive £810 courtesy of guests at the Community Rail Awards gala dinner.

Money was raised from a raffle prize draw and 'heads and tails' game played by quests at the awards, held in Torquay on 1 October.

Awards project manager Hazel Bonner said: "It was fantastic seeing colleagues from all levels of the rail industry and volunteers having such fun while raising money at the same time."

She added: "Colleagues in the Community Rail sector and the wider rail industry have been very generous, donating a range of fantastic prizes."

Prizes included an overnight stay for two in Liverpool at the Hotel Indigo including dinner and wine at Marco Pierre White Steakhouse, donated by Merseyrail and a meal for two on the GWR Pullman Service, donated by Great Western Railway.

"We even had an amazing holiday hamper, donated by Sussex Community Rail Partnership, where all the contents had been individually donated by partners and directors, it was astonishing how much was in there and it will have been quite a challenge transporting it."

A full list of donated prizes and winners will be available on the ACoRP website at www.acorp.uk.com.

The fundraising section of the evening was hosted by Richard Salkeld, press officer at Virgin Trains East Coast.

ACoRP general manager Neil Buxton said: "Richard did a superb job and we would like to thank him for encouraging such a wonderful amount of money to be raised for two such worthy causes."