Paulsgrove boxers raise more than £2,500 for cancer charity in 24-hour punching event attended by champion fighter Mickey Parker

The fundraiser challenge saw fighters from the Paulsgrove and Ted Harris ABC continually hit training pads and spar from 4pm on Friday, February 24 until 4pm on Saturday, February 25.

The ‘padathon’- which ran at the Paulsgrove Community Centre on Marsden Road - was organised by Dean Burley in memory of his father Dave Burley. Money donated by participants – some of whom wore fancy dress – will go to Friends Fighting Cancer which provides financial help to families affected by the disease.

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Dean said: ‘It was absolutely top form for the whole 24 hours we were there. Numbers drifted in and out through the early hours and things got a bit slow but it was amazing - we really rallied together.

‘So many people brought their families and their kids in overnight - we had 10 and 11-year-olds staying for three hours at a time in the middle of the night.

‘There were points where we, the coaching team, were like walking zombies. Everyone really got behind us and kept the morale going. We had sausage and bacon butties delivered at three o’clock in the morning by my sister.

Dean estimates that over 100 people took part in the fundraiser and among them was bare knuckle champion Mickey Parker. Boxing brothers Michael McKinson and Lucas Ballingall helped to promote the event and were due to attend but were unable due to a scheduling conflict. Dean decided to commemorate his father - who died from a brain injury - as he was heavily involved with FFC.

Dean added: ‘This was our first charity event for the FFC and amazed at how well we actually did. Everyone was on top form and we got through it with ease to be honest.

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‘I feel like I’ve achieved something not only for myself but back to the community and people that need it. I’ve never felt a high like it. To be able to say that we’ve selflessly given to help somebody else is a feeling I can't describe. It was a true team effort.’ Dean was particularly proud of his seven-year-old son Marley Burley who put in an ‘outstanding’ effort.

Other people who were instrumental to running the fundraiser include Paul Dyer, Simon Veal, Anthony Haywood, Geoff Fieldsend, Mark Wilson, Steve Rogers, Rob Ford and Emma Rogers from the coaching team. Paul Ryan from the FFC audited the event and presented a cheque at the end when the total raised was £2,475.57 but the total has since risen as donations have come in through the team’s online fundraiser page. Further money came from a raffle held during the fundraiser where a cake baked by one of the boxer’s mothers was given as a prize.

Friends Fighting Cancer was created in 2008 as Football for Cancer and has since raised more than one million pounds for local cancer charities and families struggling with treatment costs. The name was changed in 2019 and the oganisation now fundraises through an array of sports like golf, darts and sponsored skydives.