SMALL charities will share in a windfall of more than £7,500, thanks to the Rotary Club and North-East businesses.

Seaburn Rotary Club, near Sunderland, teamed up with Storey Carpets and other companies to organise a raffle in aid of 25 charities in the region.

The Rotary Club printed the tickets, the businesses donated the prizes, and the charities sold the tickets.

Paula Carlington, of the Alpha Support Group, said: "This is a great way for small charities such as ourselves to raise money.

"As we have limited resources we wouldn't normally be able to organise such a large raffle with top prizes."

Paul Tempest, of Hetton, East Durham, won the first prize of £1,000 to spend at Storey Carpets.

The charities were presented with cheques by Rotary president Douglas Dobbing.