A café run by the Abbey Church in Ballasalla during TT fortnight raised a massive £10,000 for church funds.

This is £4,000 greater than that raised from the café held for the first time during last year's Centenary TT, when visitor numbers were far greater than this year.

Around 50 volunteers grouped together to help in whatever way they could from baking to serving on at the café in the church hall.

'While important, the money became almost a side issue as all concerned  cooks, staff and customers enjoyed lots of fun and laughter,' said Andrea Roberts, who organised the café. 'The Ballasalla community the best in the Island came along and supported us in all sorts of ways: advertising and distributing leaflets, making cakes and helping out in the roles of anything from "waiters" (even the vicar) and "waitresses" to "washer-uppers".

'At times we were inundated with customers, and not only had people sitting at all the tables inside, and all the tables outside while others even queued for tables but some bikers resorted to sitting on the grass to eat their "all-day breakfast"!

'We were all very tired at the end but it was well worth it, not only for the money raised for church funds, but especially for the camaraderie engendered among us Ballasallians.'