A SERIES of fundraising gigs dedicated to tragic Yorkshire cue wizard Paul Hunter has raised more than £5,000 for charity.

About 800 people flocked to the three gigs held in York over the Bank Holiday weekend, from May 26 to 28, to watch 27 bands perform.

The event, which involved gigs at Cert 18, in Gillygate, and The Junction, in Leeman Road, was held to raise cash for the NET Patient Foundation, the snooker star's chosen charity.

Paul, from Leeds, won the Masters championship three times but lost his battle against cancer in October, and died shortly before his 28th birthday.

Organiser Rob Scott said: "We were delighted with the response of everyone in making it a memorable three days. We were in awe of everyone's generosity."

Paul's wife, Lyndsey, spoke to the audience at The Junction about the work of the NET Patient Foundation, and thanked the fundraisers for their efforts.

The foundation is a patient-run charity to help victims of slow-growing cancerous Neuroendocrine Tumours.

Three satellite gigs that were held in Pocklington, Leeds and Sheffield prior to the main shows raised £2,500 towards the total.

Mr Scott, of Elvington, near York, was inspired to hold the concerts after reading messages posted on an online condolence book in memory of the snooker star.

He said: "We had a fantastic time. We were a little bit worried about how many people were going to come, but soon people were filing in.

"I'm delighted with how it went. Lyndsey was fantastic. She came along and spoke for a couple of minutes about the foundation and what the money was going to. People were coming up to us saying it really got through to them.

"It was about the bands playing their socks off and having a good time but raising as much money as possible."

Mr Scott, with co-organiser Paul Cunniff, of Acomb Music, plans to hold a number of smaller fundraising gigs this summer. They have registered Paul Hunter Tribute Concerts as a charity devoted to raising cash for the NET Patient Foundation.

They also plan to release a live album of the gigs to raise more funds.