A RECORD sum was collected by Yelverton Rotary during their 1999 Christmas charity collection.

Father Christmas and his sleigh, pulled by Rudolf and Prancer, visited Dousland, Walkhampton, Horrabridge, Crapstone, Buckland Monachorum, Princetown, Bere Alston and Yelverton during the 1999 appeal — they also dropped in at Safeway in Tavistock and Tesco at Roborough.

Peter Heaton, Yelverton Rotary president, said: 'We collected £1,760 — it was easily our best-ever year and £180 more than we collected last year.'

He said the Christmas collection had become 'something of an institution' in the Yelverton area and the children particularly welcomed the visit of Father Christmas.

'We are very grateful to all the people who gave so generously to help make the collections such a success.

'The money raised will all be distributed locally to charities and other good causes in our area,' said Mr Heaton.

He thanked the club's community services chairman Mike Dion who organised the event and club members who gave up their time at a busy period of the year.

'We are also grateful to Safeway and Tesco for allowing us to make collections at their stores,' he added.