A FERRYHILL man is aiming to raise £1,000 for charity by taking part in a sponsored pub crawl today.

Neal Blenkinsop and his friend Glen George will be visiting pubs in Ferryhill and Spennymoor throughout the day, collecting money for Cancer Research UK on the way.

Mr Blenkinsop, who raised £350 for Rosebank Special School, in Ferryhill, with a sponsored walk three years ago, thought up the project after deciding he wanted a new challenge.

He said: "I was in the pub about six weeks ago and I felt another sponsored event coming on. I asked my mate for an idea and he suggested a sponsored pub crawl and said he would come with me. I thought I'd go for the big one, Cancer Research UK, because my dad died of cancer."

The pair, who have already raised about £400 in sponsorship, will be starting the fundraising effort at their local, the Eldon Arms, in Ferryhill Station, at 11am.

The landlord is going to give them a lift to the Masons Arms, in Middlestone Moor, which will be followed by a tour of Spennymoor, ending at the Thinford Inn.

A taxi ride will then take them to Ferryhill, and they will finish at the Eldon Arms.

Each landlord on the route has agreed to give them a half-pint free, although the pair say they will drop 50p each into the bucket each time that happens.