Five friends, united by a love of rugby, are changing lives with their fund-raising efforts.

Ian Oglanby, 65, of Dearham, and Jim Edmondson, 69, of Maple Close, Maryport, met through Maryport's Netherhall Rugby Club and have been fund-raising for over 20 years.

They were joined by Vince Lynch, 56, also of Maple Close, and then Andrew Southwell, 45, of Elbra Farm, engineering manager at Siddick's Iggesund Paperboard, and Hennie Van de Westerhousen, in her 50s, of Crosby, finance manager at Iggesund.

Their latest project has been helping to raise £42,000 for a sensory room at Dearham Primary School.

Ian has four grandchildren at the school including young Luke, six, who has Down's Syndrome.

Ian said: "When Sam Kidd, the headteacher, and my daughter-in-law Susan spoke about the benefits of a sensory room for children like Luke, I rang my friends and we started fund-raising."

Just over one year later, the room is open and ready for use by Luke and other children within the school with learning disabilities or emotional issues. 

It will also be open to the community, Mrs Kidd said.

The men praised her for her part in helping them to secure grants which paid for about half the cost of the room, but she said it was their perseverance that pulled it off.

Although special to Ian, the sensory room is just another in the incredible list of fund raising events they have held.

None of them know exactly how much they have raised. In face none of them appear to believe they are doing anything out of the ordinary.

That is not a view shared by those who have been helped by this group of friends.

They raised around £10,000 for the Emma Gyles Bursary, set up by Aspatria parents after their daughter Emma died of cervical cancer at the age of only 24.

The men have also raised in the vicinity of £23,000 for Netherhall Rugby Club.

Jim and Ian said the fund-raising would not be possible with the generosity of people.

Ian added: "In Dearham, for instance, we had a mother give us £5 and a business gave us £4,000. The generosity is fantastic."

The men said they get plenty out of the fund-raising, too.

They hold sports nights and get to meet some of their own sporting heroes such as former Irish and British Lions rugby union legend Willie John McBride.

There are other rewards, too, especially when they raise money for something like the sensory room.

Jim said: "One second of joy on a child's face is enough to make it worthwhile."