SHOWMEN turned out to help one of their colleagues raise thousands of pounds for a children's charity yesterday.

A charity golf tournament, held at Ramside Hall Golf and Country Club, near Durham, raised £5,500 for the Mayor of Spennymoor John Culine's chosen charity, the North of England Children's Cancer Research Fund.

Members of the Showmen's Guild organised the event in support of Coun Culine - an active member of the group whose family has been involved in circuses and fairs for five centuries.

Organiser Kenneth Reader said: "We are very proud of John so want to help him during his time as mayor.

"Show people are very family orientated so we all feel it is such a good cause to support."

Councillor Culine said: "I haven't had to do a thing, a group of friends just decided to hold the golf competition for my charity and organised everything. I cannot praise them enough.

"Children's cancer is such a horrible thing, I hope the money I raise as town mayor will help fund research to stop it affecting so many families."

The winner was Russell Newsome, of Redcar.