A GROUP of hardworking fundraisers has broken the £50,000 barrier with its staggering jumble sale exploits.

The band of volunteers - who work under the code name Jumblies - has collected the cash through sales at Sheriff Hutton.

The village team, decked in Miss World-style Jumblies sashes, have something of a cult following, with queues of bargain hunters attending every sale.

The group's co-founder, Penny Bean, said getting over the £50,000 hurdle had been a brilliant start to the New Year.

She said: "Sheriff Hutton has quite a reputation for its jumble sales. Newcomers say they have never seen anything like it before.

"People come from all over - we have a big following from Malton and Norton and people travelling from York."

The group has helped charities across the district to profit from the jumble sales.

Last year, Easingwold's tiny St Monica's Hospital, which is the smallest NHS hospital in the country, benefited to the tune of £1,200 after the Jumblies had their most successful sale in their 14-year history. As the first jumble sale of 2002 got under way, Mrs Bean said she was confident the group could break further records.

She said: "The hall was packed and there was a queue of people waiting to get in to snap up the bargains. Saturday's sale was very busy because it was the first one of the year and, with the nice weather, people came out. It raised just over £1,000 and there is still some more money to come in from the cake stall, raffle and tombola."

Leeds-based charity After Adoption Yorkshire was the grateful recipient of Saturday's funds.

Judith Calvert, from the charity, said it had been a tremendous day.

She said: "The Jumblies run a pristine organisation, it was incredible to watch them at work."

Mrs Calvert said After Adoption Yorkshire had been in a queue of charities for about 18 months, all eager to benefit from the Jumblies' exploits.

Updated: 11:59 Thursday, January 17, 2002