A CHEQUE for a whopping £13,356 was presented to little Ryan Cottrell this week.

Observer readers were typically generous and exceeded all expectations by raising the huge amount, more than half our original target of £6,000.

Accepting the cheque, Ryan, who suffers from an incurable genetic skin condition, and his family expressed their thanks to our readers and said they couldn't wait to visit Santa in Lapland.

Drinkers from the Bridge Inn, Church, this week added £491 to their first donation of £2,733 which was all raised during a sponsored rickshaw push through Accrington.

The final events for Ryan are a charity car wash at Baxenden Autowash on Saturday and a family night at the Brooks Club, Accrington, on 1 December.