A GRAND total of £4,000 was raised for the Motor Neurone Disease Association last Sunday, thanks to around 500 people attending an open gardens event.

Three gardens — Higher Cross Farm, Lower Cross Farm and East Kitcham Farm — in and around Lifton were opened to the public to raise funds for the charity and raise awareness of the condition.

Friends of Lifton resident Jeremy Durrant, who has the disease, held the open gardens event which was visited by around 500 people throughout the day.

Organisers Chris Budge, Jeff Dodd and Ginette Nobbs said the event was a great success.

Ginette said: 'We were doing the event for Jeremy and to raise awareness for Motor Neurone. We raised money for the charity as Jeremy has had a lot of help from them.

'Jeremy is well known in the farming community and lots of people who knew him came along on the day — it was really well supported by a wide selection of people, it was a great success.'