A MAN who runs coach trips for charity has been praised by charity officials after raising about £40,000 during the past 25 years.

Ian Douglas started his money-making effort almost by chance after organising an outing by car for his Glaxo factory colleagues in Barnard Castle, County Durham.

He drove four of them to a classic bike show in Manchester, and they enjoyed it so much that they decided to go again the following year.

"But there was so much interest that we decided to hire a coach," said Mr Douglas.

"That was a success and made a profit, so I got the idea of organising other trips and giving the takings to charity."

Since then, he has set up scores of outings from his home in Cotherstone, with help from wife Vera, with all the profits being handed over to Cancer Research UK.

At first the coach trips went to car factories like Peugeot, Jaguar and Land Rover, as well as to tractor shows, and the Massey Ferguson and JCB works.

Then he started planning weekend breaks in London and Scotland before branching into short holidays in Paris, Holland, Bruges and Austria.

Mr Douglas, now retired, said: "I enjoyed going on many of the trips myself with Vera.

"They became very popular with many couples, and it was great that the money did a bit of good."

Brenda Thwaites, treasurer of the Teesdale branch of Cancer Research UK, estimated that he had given around £40,000 over the last quarter century.

She added: "He has made a wonderful contribution to the work of the branch, but never seeks any attention for himself. He just gets on with his work quietly."

He plans to go on organising trips, with help from Alan and Sandra Burrell, of Burrells Coaches, based at Newsham near Barnard Castle.