AROUND £1,000 was raised for the charity 'Cots for Tots' at the Whitstone Stores 'A Taste of Christmas' event last Thursday.

The event was organised in order for proprietors Dan and Kyla Cock to say thank you to their customers for all their support over the year, and also for local residents to pop into the shop to see the wide range of items available.

There were also pasties, ham, beef and turkey for customers to sample.

During the evening a raffle was held in aid of Cots for Tots, which has been set up to support the new expansion in St Michael's Hospital Neo Natal Ward at Bristol, to help newborn babies in need of special care and support for their families.

The charity is close to the hearts of Dan and Kyla, and they were delighted when the raffle raised around £1,000.

There were a number of great prizes on offer, many of which had been donated by local businesses, such as a luxury hamper, a meal for two at the Village Inn, Ashwater, and at the Bullers Arms, Marhamchurch, fuel vouchers and a round of golf for four, to name a few.

Dan said: "Once again we had a really good evening. We were over the moon with the amount raised. We're just amazed at how kind and supportive people were."

The couple now plan to go up to the hospital in the new year to hand over a cheque towards the appeal.

Dan expressed his thanks to everyone who gave their support and attended the event.