Rotarians punched home a staggering profit of more than £32,500 at the annual charity boxing gala at Margate’s Winter Gardens.

It was organised by the Rotary Club of Thanet in association with Ramsgate Boxing Club and drew a capacity crowd and boxers of all ages and sexes from clubs around Kent.

Grete Barzdentye (Canterbury Christ Church University) and Jessica Tanock (Margate Boxing Club) provided a particularly entertaining bout and showed the noble sport is not just the domain of the gents.

Gala guest Laura Sandys MP presented an award to the youngest boxer Hayden Saunders (Strood Boxing Club) and donated a bottle of Champagne signed by Prime Minister David Cameron, which was duly auctioned later that evening.

Charities around Thanet will benefit from the cash, including Oasis refuge for victims of domestic abuse, the Pilgrims Hospice and the Thanet Scout Group.

Club president Neal Elliott said: “I would like to thank my fellow committee members, in particular Frank Thorley and Les Ray, and our main sponsors Blaze Neon and Heineken who helped make this such an amazing event. We have now raised £275,000 since we started the event nine years ago and hope to raise an even bigger sum at our 10th anniversary next year.”