FUND BOOSTED

Poole Pirates team manager Neil Middleditch is keen to express his sincere gratitude to everyone who turned out, and fans did so in force, for the meeting staged as a fund raiser to the Darcy Ward Benefit fund.

'Middlo' has revealed that whilst not all the monies are in at present the fund has been boosted by the sum of £48k due to admissions alone. "We have still to receive some of the sponsorships and the proceeds from the post-meeting auction, but already we have been able to bank a staggering amount into the fund's account and I can't thank the supporters enough."

"Everyone who was there will not have failed to have been touched by the emotion of the evening and I can't begin to tell you how touched I was personally by the whole occasion. Darcy is so close to me and Suzi and the last six weeks have been extremely tough. Seeing so many people come united in the one cause last night was heart-wrenching and how Darcy himself got through the evening and even managed to speak to the crowd is still beyond me. I think that just shows the strength of the kid and he will need plenty of that in the days and weeks ahead."