A MAN whose immediate family has been hit by cancer three times drummed up financial support for the Cancer Research Campaign with a musical marathon.

Paul Archer played the drums for 12 hours non-stop while other musicians and bands took turns in joining in with him at the Tap and Spile pub, Darlington, on Saturday.

Even after the stroke of midnight had signalled the end of the allotted time and he threw his drumsticks into the air to celebrate, Paul agreed to do one last song for the crowd which had gathered.

He hopes to have raised as much as £800.

Mr Archer, a 46-year-old retired firefighter and Durham University Business School graduate, decided to do the event because his father, Gordon, died of cancer, from which his brother and sister have also suffered.

After a string of other drummers, who used a second kit, and guitarists jammed for the first few hours, some of Mr Archer's friends joined him to form the first band of the night.

They were joined by his sister, Miriam Key, who played on the second kit for a rendition of Queen's We Will Rock You, before a second band, made up of Cummins employees took over.

The evening was concluded by Mr Archer's own band, Big Sigh and the Yawns.

Mr Archer said: "I'm really chuffed I've been able to do this for Cancer Research, given them publicity and raised them money."