THE Ladbrokes Birthday Bash last weekend realised more than £1,000 and two local good causes are to benefit.

On Friday Benarty Events Group's Michael Moore visited the Benarty Square Ladbrokes Shop to collect the cheque for £1,030 from Joy McCormack.

The cash had been raised through a series of events last Saturday to mark 50 years since a betting shop opened on the site.

It is believed to be the only betting shop in the UK to be on the same site for 50 years and a big day saw the shop packed for upwards of five hours.

Said Joy: "It was a brilliant day and it was great to be part of it.

"Everyone pulled together and to raise such a fine sum for the Benarty Gala Day fund and Lochgelly High School pipe band was excellent."

Michael added: "We cannot thank the people who contributed to this excellent total enough.

"Both the Gala and Pipe Band will benefit greatly from this fundraising venture."

The cheque will be split with Gala Day fund receiving £800 and the Pipe Band £230 and veteran punters, Franci Rafferty and Willie Clarke, only wished they could have bumped the final total up even further.

The duo were chosen to place a £50 charity bet last Saturday and they chose a race at Doncaster but their horse finished down the field!

Both were in the shop to see the cheque presented and said: "We felt the horse would do the business for us but on the day it did not happen. These things happen in the betting game though!"