JEFF Simm summed up his charity rugby sevens tournament as a 'brilliant' occasion on a day when players and supporters turned out to mark the event.

It was the second time the sevens had been held and for cancer battler Simm it could not have been a better day at the Hawcoat Park Sports Club venue.

Six teams battled it out in a round robin format at the weekend with Barrow Raiders coming up trumps after beating a Hawcoat Park side in the final.

Simm wanted to raise funds for Furness General Hospital's oncology unit and thanks to the generosity of supporters, players and his friend Alan Troughton more than £700 was collected.

“It went absolutely brilliant,” said Simm. “It was a really good day to remember. Barrow rugby won, they were very professional in their outlook.”

The former BAE Systems worker, who played rugby and coached at Hawcoat Park for many years, added: “It was all played in the right spirit, it was very friendly, we all had laughs and I think that epitomised what I was trying to achieve.

“It was a case of we get out there we play rugby, it is part of what we all do.”

Entry for spectators was free on the day and as well as watching the rugby played on the first team pitch there was other entertainment with craft stalls and a bouncy castle.

“It actually worked out really well,” added the 67-year-old. “On the actual day we raised about £307 and our friend, Alan Troughton, it was his 60th birthday, and he asked for donations and he raised about £410.”

Simm thanked Hawcoat Park Sports Club members for helping out during the sevens which is expected to now be a regular event on Barrow's sporting calendar. To show his gratitude to the players taking park, Simm put £100 behind the bar to have a drink after the tournament.

“I hope to continue it now, I will pass it onto the club and let them organise it,” added Simm. “I thought it was an exceptional day, meeting lots of friends. To me that epitomised what the day was all about it was a thoroughly friendly day.”

Simm, honoured at last year's Cumbria Sports Awards with a Service to Sport award, thought he had was cancer-free after surgery in 2013, but the disease returned last year when it was discovered in a check-up at his local surgery.

As a visitor to Barrow's oncology unit, he added: “I really don't want to go up there, but it is a really welcoming place. I can't put into words the feeling that I have of going into that environment, they are so friendly, so nice. They are a fantastic bunch of people.”