A SOUL night set up by the daughter of a Worcester woman who suffered from motor neurone disease has proved a storming success, raising nearly £8,000 for charity to date.

Helen Clarke and her partner Rob Hurcomb, from Worcester, were inspired to start up the soul and Motown evening at the Abbey Hotel in Abbey Road, Malvern, after Helen's mother, Pam Goodall, was diagnosed with the disease in April 2003.

Mrs Goodall, aged 69, formerly of Lower Wick, Worcester, died in April 2004 but the night - which started two months beforehand - proved so popular that the couple decided to continue it in her memory.

And last month, the night celebrated its second birthday, with a sell-out crowd of 300 people coming along, helping to raise a total of £1,000.

That figure has helped to boost the grand total raised to £7976.33 over the past two years for the association, which provides care and support for people with MND and their families. It also funds vital research into causes, treatments and a cure.

But the organisers hit a hurdle when they came to book the hotel for the next one in April. It was not able to accommodate them due to a wealth wedding bookings over the spring and summer period.

Now, however, Mr Hurcomb said they decided to shift the event to the RSRE Club in the town's Pickersleigh Road to keep the momentum going.

The next evening will take place at the club on Sunday, April 30, and Mr Hurcomb said he hoped the fact it coincided with a bank holiday would mean they would attract another sell-out crowd.

He added: "We're absolutely delighted about the amount we've raised so far and, to be honest, it seems to be going from strength to strength.

"I don't know why it's proved such a success - if we did then we'd bottle it!

"We just appear to be doing the right thing at the right time and playing the type of music people love."

The evening, held about three times a year, was intended as a throwback to the days when the Abbey Hotel used to hold popular disco nights in the late 60s and early 70s.

Tickets for next month's event are priced £5, available from the club itself or via: www.worcsoul.info