OUR 200 Appeal for Julia's House has been bowled over its biggest boost to date with a donation of £28,000 from Bishops Cannings Cricket Club.

The village club, which has its ground at Coate, near Devizes, raised more than £55,000 from a clay pigeon shoot at Wellington Barn earlier this summer.

On Tuesday club chairman Ed Davies returned to the barn to present a cheque to Ged Montgomery from Julia's House and also made a donation of £2,500 to the

Mycenae Gravis charity.

Mr Davies said: "We were thrilled with the total. We still have other cheques to give out but we were delighted to be able to present a large amount to Julia's House. We had pledged to give the charity half of our profits."

Mr Montgomery said: "We are so grateful to Ed Davies and all the committee from Bishops Cannings Cricket Club for the incredible amount of funds raised for Julia's House Children's Hospice as part of the Gazette & Herald 200 Appeal. It was a fantastic event which was very well organised and all the guests had a brilliant time.

"The after dinner auction was a particular highlight and we are so grateful to all the donors of the prizes and the guests for their generous bids.

"I would also like to thank the many volunteers from the local Lloyds Bank Branches who gave up their time on the day to ensure that the event was a complete success."

Gazette editor Gary Lawrence said: "We are so pleased that Bishops Cannings Cricket Club has supported our appeal and raised this fantastic sum."

The Gazette has pledged to raise £100,000 in 2016 to pay for carers for Wiltshire families with life-limiting illnesses. The new Julia's House hospice is due to open in Devizes next year.

Money from the clay pigeon shoot will also go to Devizes Opportunity Centre and Ataxia, which supports people with the neurological condition.