A charity boxing competition was a knockout success, after raising nearly £8,000 for a chemotherapy ward at Maidstone Hospital.

The fight night was held in aid of 30-year-old Maidstone mum Hayley Martin, who is being treated for terminal cancer there.

Nearly 1,000 spectators at Maidstone Leisure Centre watched the bout, which included 28 amateur fighters going head to head.

It was organised by Lee Owen, who runs Westree ABC in Park Wood and Olympia Boxing in Kings Hill, along with Westree coaches Bradley Uquhart and Eddie Henderson.

They teamed up with John Counsell who is now helping friend Hayley add to the £10,000 already raised.

He said: “It was a roaring success. My faith in humanity has been restored by watching how the whole community has got behind this - the sponsors who have meant the money raised can go where it is needed and the people who came to support it.

"It made every second of the four months of planning worthwhile.

“We awarded the fighter of the night award to Hayley because she is the most amazing fighter we have.”