AN annual clay pigeon shoot has raised £8,000 for the Great North Air Ambulance Service.

The Earl of Durham, Edward Ned Lambton, hosted the annual clay pigeon shoot at the Lambton Estate, near Chester-le-Street.

Bob Duff, 60, events manager at the estate, this week travelled to the air ambulance base at Durham Tees Valley Airport to hand the cheque over to the lifesaving aircrew.

Mr Duff said: “We understand the necessity of the air ambulance.

“The costs are immense and if we can produce a small but guaranteed income it really is worthwhile.

“The money we have raised has paid for quite a few lifts over the years. It really is so important.”

The Lambton Estate clay pigeon shoot has raised around £24,000 for the Great North Air Ambulance over the last four years.

Next year, they hope to extend the event over an extra day.

Mandy Drake, head of fundraising at the Great North Air Ambulance, said: “We want to thank everyone involved who both organised and attended the event.

“The ongoing support from the Lambton Estate has been phenomenal and we could not continue to do what we do without the generosity of people like them.”