A family-run foundation set up to assist small cancer charities throughout the UK has hosted a kart race challenge raising over £35,000.

The Caron Keating Foundation was set up in memory of Caron, a much loved TV personality who presented programmes such as Blue Peter, This Morning, Top of the Pops and Entertainment Today.

She sadly lost her battle with breast cancer in 2004, which is when the foundation was set up in her name. It offers grants to all types of cancer charities to fund machinery that can increase the speed of detection, hospice and counselling services.

Hosted by Russ Lindsay, Caron's husband of 14 years, friends and family joined together to remember her and celebrate ten years of the foundation at the kart race challenge on the weekend.

Over 100 guests took part in an endurance karting challenge at Daytona, Sandown Park, Surrey. Both amateurs and professionals raced hard and fast in over 20 teams of four.

The professional team – consisting of current GP2 Series championship leader Jolyon Palmer, BTCC driver Jack Clarke and former F3 competitor Rupert Svendsen-Cook – showed off their talent to secure the fastest lap times.

Commenting on the race, Caron’s brother Paul Keating said: “It was amazing to race against the real pros! It’s a little embarrassing when they lap you three or four times, but crazy to see how fast they actually go.”

Celebrity friends of Russ, including Anthea Turner, Grant Bovey, Sugababes singer Heidi Range and actor Philip Glenister cheered from the sidelines and chatted away with other guests.

Russ welcomed to the stage Caron’s mother, Gloria Hunniford of Sevenoaks, who was pleased to announce the results of the race.

Despite being penalised by several black flags, the professionals secured victory.

Current British GT Champion Marco Attard’s team sealed the runner-up spoils, with Russ’ own team, Infinity Media, third and Honda 3 – including triple BTCC Champion Matt Neal – winding up seventh.

After the races were finished, a charity auction was held with an impressive array of prizes including a Honda MSX bike, an autographed David Coulthard TW Steel Watch and Ferrari merchandise, signed by Fernando Alonso himself.

It saw bidders raise over £10,000 for the Caron Keating Foundation.

Commenting on the success of the event, Russ Lindsay said: “It was an amazing event and we now hope to repeat it on an annual basis. Between us we have raised over £35,000 for Caron’s charity.

"For those who knew Caron, she loved motorsport and fast cars and would completely approve of raising money for her charity in this way – she was always the one on Blue Peter who got picked to do the fast and dangerous stuff.”

Special thanks were expressed to the supporters of the event, namely Honda UK and The Wine Reserve for their very generous contributions.

For more info visit: http://www.caronkeating.org/about/