OKEHAMPTON Lions are celebrating after a busy Christmas period has seen them raise more than £1,700 for local charities.

Their coffee morning in All Saints Church Hall on December 15 raised £478.46, while their Christmas street collection outside Waitrose and Co-op on December 23 and Christmas Eve raised £1,300.85. This money will be used to support local charities.

The organisation also had a successful Edwardian Evening, with their refreshment caravan raising £250 on the night, which has been donated to the Okehampton Christmas Lights fund set up by the chamber of trade.

The Lions expressed thanks to all those who supported these events, and to Co-op and Waitrose for allowing them to collect money outside their premises.