A March police officer’s annual charity darts day, in aid of the hospital which helped him beat cancer, has raised another £8,200.

Mark Cross’ seventh annual cancer charity darts fun day, which took place at the GER Sports Club on Saturday, raised the highest amount of money so far at any of the charity days.

It now means that in seven years, he will have donated £44,500 donated to the oncology department at Peterborough City Hospital.

Mr Cross was diagnosed with breast cancer in September 2009. He says the care and treatment he received at the hospital “saved my life”.

He said of Saturday’s fundraiser: “It was standing room only with almost 100 people playing darts and many more cramming in to support the event and enjoy the tombola, draw and auction. The day was opened by myself.

“I cannot thank all those enough who supported the event and the many people who donated wonderful items on the day.

“Special mention must go to my mum and dad, Ann and Dick Cross, as well as Bill and Margaret Turvey, who sold draw tickets all day and worked tirelessly securing draw prizes. “Both couples celebrated their golden wedding anniversaries in recent months and neither couple asked for gifts. My mum and dad instead asked guests at their party to donate to the charity and raised £755. Bill and Margaret did the same and raised £200.

“My nan, Jackie Healey, who donated nearly the entirety of the tombola prizes, made over £300 on the day with assistance from Shirley Moores, Andrew Youles, Paul Wright, Neil Collins, Craig Gilpatrick, Tony Barnes and Lorraine Barnes and all of the GER committee and bar staff.

“I couldn’t do the day without the love and support of my wonderful wife Kim and my son’s Ryan and Nathan. Many local businesses generously donated draw prizes including March Quality Meats, Stott’s Fish Restaurant, Mallett’s Jewellers, Cassano’s, Storey’s Arts & Crafts, Tesco Express, Brian Tweed Family Butchers, Panini’s, Boots, Haart Estate Agents and Tesco (Hostmoor).

“An abundance of draw prizes were donated by the One Stop and Smurfit Kappa sponsored several of the auction lots by donating £400, as did Townsend Angling Club who donated £300. The ladies at ‘Fun with Flowers’ at March Conservative Club donated £170 to the cause, too.

“Many thanks to all of my board sponsors: GER Hot Shotz darts team; The Sportsman, Chatteris; Darren Wojtowych Garden Services; Nigel Searle; Monica Stonham; Neil & Cath Collins; Andrew Youles Chartered Accountant & Jeremy Furnell (Pellucid Mortgages).

The darts winners on the day were:

Cricket triples winners: Bob Foster, Kevin Cooper and Lewis Day. Runners-up: Paul Wenn, Paul Newstead and Joanne Anderson

Pair’s winners: Terry Redhead and Kevin Hill. Runners-up: Tim Fulcher and Joe Brown.

Youth singles champion: Liam Moore. Runner-up: Lewis Day.

Singles champion: Robert Doncaster; Runner-up: Adam Roper.