GOOD sports at a sell-out fundraising lunch have helped raised £30,000 for the Bradford's Marie Curie Hospice.

More than 280 guests gathered at the city's Midland Hotel yesterday for the charity's fifth annual Sports Lunch raising enough money to run the Maudesley Street hospice for three days.

Former world snooker champion Dennis Taylor was there as one of the speakers along with Welcome to Yorkshire boss Gary Verity.

The hospice, which costs more than £3.5 million a year to run, cares for more than 1,000 patients and families a year and all the money from the lunch event tickets and auction bids will go towards the expert care and quality of life for people with cancer and other illnesses and support for their families, which is free of charge.

Sponsors of this year's event were Sovereign Health Care, Handelsbanken, Naylor Wintersgill and Watson Buckle.

Bradford Hospice fundraising manager Sharon Link said: "It's been another sell-out. Thanks to those who have come along to support us we will make enough money to run the hospice for three days. We're hoping it's about £30,000."

Mr Verity said: "It's a privilege and great honour to be supporting the event. The hospice does incredible work and anything that can be done to help them is a great thing."

And Mr Taylor, who travelled from North Wales to work his comedy charm on guests, said he was also happy to have been asked to help raise funds.

"It's great to be involved. I do a lot for cancer charities and I know just how tough it is at the moment to fundraise when everyone is having to keep a close eye on their own budgets so it is absolutely fantastic to see such a brilliant turnout for this lunch."

Other more local sporting faces included former Bradford Bulls head coach Brian Noble, Bradford's One In A Million co-founder Wayne Jacobs, a former Bradford City player and assistant manager, and Ken Monkou, the former Chelsea, Southampton and Huddersfield Town footballer.

The Lord Mayor of Bradford, Councillor Mike Gibbons, who has pledged half of this year's civic appeal money to the hospice, was also among guests.

While the rest of his appeal money will be used to support other local groups or organisations which can bid for grants of up to £1,000, he hopes the contribution to the Marie Curie hospice will also help it continue its good work.

To find out more about the Marie Curie Hospice, Bradford, visit mariecurie.org.uk/bradford