Maldon and District Air Rifle Club has raised over £2000 for a Maldon-based charity, following a raffle it held over the weekend.

Richard Woods, who runs the club, organised the raffle for Maldon-based Action for Family Carers (AFFC) - the charity supports family carers, elderly residents, people with learning disabilities and those with mental health needs in the district.

Richard said: "When my partner Jennie's parents were getting ready to go into care homes prior to them passing away, Action for Family Carers helped her out with advocacy and relief and things like that."

AFFC, which is based in Brickhouse Farm on Poulton Close, has been the club's chosen charity ever since.

Richard said: "I'm humbled by the generosity, thoughtfulness and warmth that the HFT [Hunter Field Target] community has shown towards our chosen charity.

"We hoped to scrape a few quid together to help Action for Family Carers, but instead were inundated with handfuls of cash."

Richard held the raffle during the first two rounds of the UK Association for Hunter Field Target (UKAHFT) National Series - a national airgun shooting competition - which took place on Saturday 24 and Sunday 25 July at the club's site on Howe Green Road in Purleigh.

Richard said: "I knew there was going to be a couple of hundred people there, so I ran round to some local manufacturers and some shops and businesses, got some raffle prizes and then had the raffle."

He added: "I went round to where people were camping in the caravans and sold them raffle tickets."

Having initially raised £1869.13, late donations topped up the total to just over £2000.

The club's sponsors - the Airgun Centre, Optisan Scopes, Elite Design, Daystate Midland Hunters and Flopover Targets - also donated.

Richard said: "Everyone's generosity was gobsmacking."