The Children’s Centre has raised £15,000 to support vulnerable children at a fundraiser which also saw a nine-year-old fan win a signed Manchester United football in its auction.

In 2021 the charity provided 5,244 hours of individual support sessions, and continues to work with more than 70 families a week who are facing challenges.

Head of the charity Joff Whitten said: ‘As part of the auction we were donated a signed Manchester United football.

‘One of our young people, Malachy Kaneen, who is facing his own challenges at the moment, had seen it on a visit to us and is a huge united fan.

‘So I decided to offer our guests the chance to bid for themselves or to bid to buy it for this young person instead. Everyone unanimously wanted it for our young person and the bidding went to £600.

‘Not only does this mean we have a delighted young person who can’t believe someone would do that for them, but we also have enough funding to pay for another 15 hours of one to one sessions.’

After the auction, the charity welcomed speaker James Bassett, from Peel, who won the UK’s longest road race in 2021.

The Lon Las Ultra race takes place across 253 miles from Holyhead to Cardiff and runners must complete the route in under 88 hours.

James explained how the three-and-a-half day challenge saw him battle exhaustion, lack of food, high altitudes and hallucinations. But keeping him going was the huge support he’d been shown by raising funds for The Children’s Centre, finishing the race with more than £2,000 and then following his return this rose to more than £5,000 for his efforts.

More than 150 guests attended the night at the Empress Hotel in Douglas.