A family who raised a staggering £27,000 for a neuroscience charity have thanked all those who made it possible.

Mark Beverley, 34, of Abbeytown, was diagnosed with a brain tumour in August last year. He underwent surgery to remove the tumour, which was discovered when he suffered a seizure after a rugby tackle.

The dad-of three, who plays for Aspatria RUFC, has now fully recovered. He is able to drive again and has also returned to the sport he loves.

Mark needs to have a brain scan every six months but other than that he is living life as he did prior to the incident. He’s returned to Aspatria RUFC and played about five games so far.

According to doctors, the tackle may have saved his life.

His wife Amy, 33, said: “It’s shocking to think what we have been through. It could have been five years down the line and it might have happened and it might have been too late by then.”

She wanted to thank the neurosurgery team at the Royal Preston Hospital, where Mark was treated, but felt the flowers she’d taken weren’t enough.

She decided to organise a black-tie ball, which was held at Blaithwaite House near Wigton in February, and raised a total of £27,018 for the Sydney Driscoll Neuroscience Foundation.

“When we went down initially I just felt like they had given Mark his life. It is nice to be able to give something back,” said Amy.

“After a couple of visits I took the doctor some flowers and I didn’t think it was enough.”

Amy had initially hoped they could raise about £1,000 and was blown away when she realised the total would be far greater than she had anticipated, with the first four auction lots raising £5,000.

While it was the biggest event she’s ever organised, with 140 guests, Amy said she felt like she didn’t do an awful lot.

“I had so many wonderful people helping out and offering to do things,” she said. “Without everybody’s help it wouldn’t have been possible - people coming forward and donating an auction prize, the free props or the venue.

“It’s just a massive thank you for those who contributed on the night, after the night and in the lead up to the night.”

In particular she wanted to thank hosts Kate and Mal Glen-Donald, of Blaithwaite House, Liz’s Country Kitchen, which provided the catering, Cumbria Candelabras and Jennie Hird of Hird of Love.

They’ve also been well-supported by the local rugby community, with Aspatria RUFC donating the funds it raised from a golf tournament in July to the final total.

The foundation was set up thanks to a substantial donation by Lucille Driscoll whose husband was treated by the hospital’s first neurosurgeon, Ken Tutton, in the 1960s.

Based at the Department of Neuroscience in Preston, the SDNF, which includes a neuroscience library, aims to develop and expand the facilities for education, training and research into brain trauma, brain tumours and conditions such as motor neurone disease.

The money from the Beverley family will go towards more research into brain cancer.