AN 007 James Bond-themed casino night and a masquerade ball helped to raise £3,000 for a cancer charity.

Huddersfield University students arranged a series of social events in aid of the Laura Crane Trust.

The fundraising events were organised as part of the students’ events management and marketing courses.

Their hard work paid off, with £3,000 handed over to the teenage cancer charity earlier this week.

Senior marketing lecturer Nadio Granata said the students originally set themselves a target of raising £2,000 – double the amount raised last year.

He said: “We are thrilled that they have exceeded their target; £3,000 is an impressive amount of money to have been raised for the Laura Crane Trust.

“Next year’s students will have a hard act to follow but there is already talk of bigger and better events.”

Students raised the cash through a series of innovative events which they were tasked to organise for the Huddersfield-based charity as part of their final year event management project.

More than eight different events took place, including a magical masquerade ball as well as an 007-themed Casino night.

Students chose to support the charity because it works with cancer patients the same age as them throughout Yorkshire and the rest of the UK.

Helen Mervill, fundraiser for the Laura Crane Trust, said: “We are all extremely proud of this year’s group of event management students who have really raised the bar in terms of vision for future events.

“Some of the events were extremely complicated and were managed impeccably.

“We wish them all the best in their future careers.

“We’d also like to extend our thanks to all of those involved and to Nadio and the marketing students for their continued support.”

Howard Jackson, principal lecturer in marketing, presented the cheque to the charity, set up after the death of local student Laura Crane in May 1996.

Mr Jackson said: “The Laura Crane Trust deserves as much credit as the students - they provided a great deal of help and inspiration and have been a pleasure to work with.

“I’d like to say a huge thank-you to the sponsors who have given so generously not only to the charity, but to also our students; a win-win for all.”

The Laura Crane Trust is currently running a ‘Youth Against Cancer’ campaign, which aims to promote the fight against cancer to young people and encourage a stronger culture of giving; strengthening young people’s belief that they can change the world around them.

For further details visit www.lauracranetrust.org.