A true community effort has resulted in more than £5,000 being raised for the Guide Dogs for the Blind Association.

Just over a year ago, Sharon Lewis, the landlady of the Black Bull pub at Brampton, was inspired to attempt to raise enough money to name a guide dog puppy - a minimum sum of £5,000.

And last week, she handed over a cheque to the charity after a string of fundraisers involving pub regulars and people from the village.

They included a series of monologues given in the pub by Tony Burrin and a donation from the congregation of St Mary’s at Midnight Mass on Christmas Eve. Other groups involved were line dancers from Brampton and the puppy walkers, who have meals in the pub and supported its events.

An application has now been submitted to the charity, along with the cheque, and one of three suggested names will be picked for the puppy.