A FUNDRAISING cabbie has been crowned taxi driver of the year after raising more than £50,000 for charity.

Funnyman Stephen Picton organised two comedy nights to raise cash for Hartlepool Hospice after a friend of his received treatment in the final months of his life.

The taxi driver, who was nominated for the competition by his wife, Sandy, has continued to raise cash despite reaching his goal.

And the 42-year-old from Hartlepool scooped the top prize this week at the Private Hire and Taxi Monthly Exhibition after getting down to the last three in the Swinton Taxi Division’s Cabbie of the Year 2013 competition in recognition of his efforts.

The father-of-four said: “I decided to raise money for the Hartlepool Hospice to show my appreciation for what they did for my friend. I set a target of raising £50,000 pounds before my 40th birthday and achieved that.

“After reaching the target I decided to continue raising funds and my wife decided to nominate me for the prize to mark my fundraising.

“I was delighted to win and would like to say well done to the other finalists who all did really great.”

As well as raising more than £50,000 for charity before his 40th birthday, Stephen’s cancer awareness version of Thom Pace’s hit Maybe, which is the theme tune from the Life and Times of Grizzly Adams, became an internet hit.