DRINKERS put their money where their mouth is and took part in a sponsored pub crawl, raising nearly £1,000 for charity.

The group of 11, who all live near Richmond in North Yorkshire, travelled to Whitby for the 18-pub trek, to raise funds for the Royal National Lifeboat Institution.

The nine men and two women raised £885 using official RNLI collection tins, as well as making their own contributions, with many pubs offering a free half pint of beer to each member.

The marathon session began at 8.20am at the Angel in Gilling West, near Richmond, where the group girded their loins with a hearty breakfast and a pint of beer.

They travelled to Whitby by minibus - driven by a designated, non-drinking member of the team - and began their feat of endurance at the Endeavour pub at 11am.

One member, Pete Connelly, said: “We usually had about half a pint in each of the pubs, although some of us can drink for England and might have had a bit more.

“We all had a great time and lots of laughs.

“People were very generous, and we are pleased with the amount we’ve raised.”

After returning from Whitby, the group went for one last drink at the Angel.

“Some of us even stayed until last orders,” said Mr Connelly, 45, “though I wasn’t one of them.”

This is the third year the group of friends have attempted a charity pub crawl, and they are already planning next year’s trip.

To sponsor the group for this year’s event contact Mr Connelly on 07765 043697.