A TRACTOR run has raised a total of £30,000 for three charities.
Rede and Coquet Charity Tractor Run was hailed a success after it raised funds for My Name'5 Doddie, The Great North Air Ambulance Appeal and the British Lung Foundation.
Doddie Weir officially started the forty mile circuit of the Rede and Coquet valleys on Saturday, May 28.
Nearly 100 tractors joined the event.
Organisers said after deducting costs, each charity would benefit by at least £10,000.
On Saturday morning, tractors gathered from across Northern England and the Scottish borders in Otterburn for breakfast, provided by The Upper Redesdale Show Committee.
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An auction which raised more than £17,000 was then held by auctioneer Chris Armstrong of Hexham and Northern Marts.
Two factors were attributed to the event being a success.
Chris said: "The first was the simply stunning scenery and countryside up in the hills around Otterburn, Alwinton, Harbottle and Holystone, and the second was the considerable network of exceptionally well-maintained access roads across the Otterburn military ranges to which the run was granted access by the Ministry of Defence and their land management partners, Landmarc Solutions."
"A great deal of funding and support had been gathered with over one hundred sponsors, contributors and volunteers donating funds, goods and services towards the effort which included a grand prize raffle and a promise auction," he said.
He added: "A fabulous day was had by all that took part."
The auction was held at The Rose and Thistle Inn in Alwinton, when Chris was elevated 30 foot on a hi-lift cherry picker to conduct the auction with 40 lots brought under the hammer.
From a box of home baking to muck spreader hire, and loads of straw and logs to a handmade wooden toy tractor, as the last lot of the day this sold for £300.
"The procession of vintage, classic and modern day tractors that had a combined value of several million pounds took to the roads again, trundling down the valley and rising sharply up onto Holystone Common to rejoin the range roads and cross back into the Rede, before descending back down into Otterburn for a well-deserved cup of tea and a slice of cake," Chris said.
To maintain appeal and keep fundraising efforts consistent, Chris said the general opinion is that it should be every other year, if not every third year.
To take part in future, join the group Facebook page or contact the organisers on redeandcoquettractorrun@hotmail.com.
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