BIG-HEARTED pool players potted through the night to help raise more than £1,000 for charity.

The 24-hour pool marathon was held at Nectar’s wine bar in Lostock Gralam, and involved teams from the Northwich Pool League.

The marathon fundraiser was in aid of The Christie and Macmillan Nurses, and was inspired by the cancer battle being fought by Sharon Backhouse from Rudheath.

Sharon is the treasurer of the Northwich and District Pool League, and is being treated by The Christie.

Her husband Fred is the league’s assistant fixtures secretary, and plays for Nectar’s in the summer pool league.

The pool marathon was the idea of Nectar’s landlord Tony Beasant, for who cancer has a special meaning, having lost his parents Joan and Eddie to the disease.

“It was a fabulous event, there was a real camaraderie between everyone, and the support we received from the Northwich Pool League and other pubs in the league was fantastic,” said Tony.

“It made the first half of the marathon fly by and helped to raise some good money.

“The hours between four and six in the morning were the most tiring, but we kept going, and the Nectar’s team ended undefeated!”

Tony supports The Christie and MacMillan Nurses because of his parents’ cancer treatment and friends and customers who have needed the support of the organisations, and over the past five years he has raised more than £3,000 for the charities.

“I would like to thank not only the lads who played, but everyone for their kind donations of time and money, as well as Bookers and Roberts Bakery for the donations of food, which was cooked by Shel and Mel (Kent) Catering and Julia,” said Tony.

The fundraiser started at 4pm on Friday, and finished at 5pm on Saturday.

The money was raised by pool players gaining sponsorship and donations from a raffle run by Alan and Eva Backhouse.

The Nectar’s pool team consists of Tony Beasant, Joe Illidge, Jonny Lightfoot, Asa Garner, captain Rick Vale, Fred Backhouse, Paul Anderson, Ben Illidge, Peter Illidge, Paul Thorpe and Marc Williams.