THOUSANDS of pounds has been raised to help keep the region’s flying doctors airborne after sport and charity organisations teamed up to boost the coffers.

The North Yorkshire and South Durham Premier Cricket League raised more £8,000 for the Great North Air Ambulance last season following the establishment of a charity partnership between the two organisations in 2016.

The league’s partner Darlington Building Society, in its 160th year, gave the fundraising efforts a boost by donating £160 every time a team scored 160 or more in either the Kerridge or Macmillan Cup competitions which contributed £2,060.

Member clubs also chipped in with one-off events and collections, with Marton Cricket Club winning an autographed Durham CCC bat for leading the efforts by raising almost £500.

The official presentation was made by the league’s president Chris West to air ambulance representative James Atkinson at a recent pre-season meeting of clubs at Teesside University.