A MEMORIAL community football tournament raised more than £5,500 for Cancer Research.

The Mary Hayton Charity Football Day was held on Saturday at the Welfare Ground of Sacriston Cricket Club.

The event has been held for the last ten years in memory of Mary Hayton, from Sacriston, who died from cancer of the pancreas in June 2003, aged 42.

The tournament was followed with an evening of entertainment at Sacriston WMC with live music from Big City.

The event is now in its 11th year and her family has raised £46,000 for Cancer Research.

Her sister, Eileen Jones, who has vowed to keep on fundraising, said: “It was another fantastic day and we are so grateful to everyone for their help and support.

“Mary was loved and is still very much missed. The continuing success of this event shows how much she meant to people.”

As well as the football, there were raffles and hot and cold refreshments.

Sacriston over 40s beat Langley Park over 40s 2-1, with Sacriston man Malcolm Pritchard, who has not played football for over ten years, scoring the winning goal

Sacriston WMC beat Langley Park WMC 8-5 for the Mary Hayton Shield and both teams carried on playing despite pouring rain.

South Durham Cestria Boys beat Deerness Valley Boys 2-0 while Consett Tigers beat Durham Federation 5-3 on penalties.