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TWO charity rugby matches in Upton have raised around £8,000 to help cancer charities.

An emotional match at Upton Rugby Club on Sunday (April 20) saw an Upton XV scrum down against players from Ledbury and Bromyard in memory of former player Justin Morts' Morton and coach Robin Foley.

Both men passed away last year, Mr Morton tragically of cancer at the age of just 35.

The match was followed by a charity auction and pig roast, and raised around £5,000.

The Upton team was comprised of players who played alongside Mr Morton and were coached by Mr Foley. They battled to a 24-17 victory in what former captain Tim Badger described as an emotionally charged match.

"It was a very, very good day and it turned out to be an outstanding game of rugby," he said. "It was very emotional for those of us who were playing - Robin was our coach and Justin was one of the best players Upton has ever had so we were fired up to go out and play some good rugby for them.

"It was terribly cold but we had overwhelming support, and that just goes to show how popular both chaps were."

The money raised from the event is going to the St Richard's Hospice, which cared for Mr Morton during his final few days, and Mr Badger said the Morton-Foley Memorial Trophy match was now certain to become an annual event.

Cancer-related charities are also set to benefit from around £3,000 of donations after a fundraising match between Hanley Castle High School teachers and Upton RFC veterans, which drew a crowd of more than 400 people.

The match was held in memory of former assistant headteacher Julia Feakins, who died of cancer, and after a free-flowing match the teachers triumphed 43-12, avenging their defeat in the inaugural fixture a year earlier.

A game of tag rugby between female staff and sixth form girls was also held, with the students winning 16-10.

Hanley teacher Martin McTernan paid tribute to those who made both events such a fantastic success.

"The combined total raised is a quite phenomenal amount for a small community like Upton to raise in the space of a week," he said.

2:51pm Tuesday 22nd April 2008

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