FUND-RAIDERS in Maidstone have presented the Anthony Nolan Bone Marrow Trust with cheques totalling more than £11,000. Staff from Maidstone-based property managers Mouchel presented the trust with a cheque for £1,100 after successfully completing the three peaks challenge in June.

Six intrepid employees tackled Ben Nevis in Scotland, Scafell Pike in the Lake District and Mount Snowdo in Wales in 24 hours as part of a fund-raising event organised by the fire brigade.

One of them, Andy Ratcliffe, lost a close family member after a long struggle against leukaemia when a suitable bone marrow transplant could not be found. The presentation was made at Maidstone's Hilton Hotel to the trust's Kent and Sussex area fund-raising manager, Jean Rolfe, and Alex Butcher, who underwent a successful transplant three years ago.The climbers also presented the Fire Service Benevolent Fund with a cheque for £300.

The Anthony Nolan Trust's funds were boosted further when the Mayor of Maidstone, Cllr Paulina Stockell, presented the Trust with a further £10,000. Cllr Stockell was one of eight business and civic community volunteers who were "arrested" and marched out of their offices in handcuffs by police in July in aid of the cause.

The group of 'criminals', which also included the Kent Messenger Group newspaper sales manager Bill Moss were "taken hostage" at the Hilton Hotel until they could raise sufficient "bail" money.

The Anthony Nolan Bone Marrow Trust runs a national register of bone marrow donors and also carries out research into alternative treatments for leukaemia. For more information about the trust call 020 8286 4561.