A BORTH publican has raised nearly £2,000 for cancer charities by giving up drinking for a month as his mother battles the disease.

Jason Hines, the landlord of the Victoria Inn on High Street, decided to take on the Dry January challenge last month, despite admitting to “drinking every day”.

“I’d initially seen an advert for Dry January on the television and said ‘I am going to do that’,” the 45-year-old said.

“People laughed and I knew it would be hard as I regularly drink a few pints a night.

“I thought that if I could raise £300 by doing it then that would be great.

“I started fundraising in the pub on New Year’s Eve and by the end of the night I’d already raised £1,000.

“It was pretty incredible and I can’t believe the generosity of everyone.”

Jason, who has run the pub for five years, is hoping the total to be donated to Cancer Research will reach over £2,000 - he has raised £1,860 so far, with a raffle to come and further donations and sponsorship to come in.

He lost his father to cancer a few years ago and now his mother is battling the disease.

“It means an awful lot to me and I just wanted to do something,” he said.

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