A 70ft abseil down a building helped the Canterbury-based Kentish Gazette smash through its £35,000 appeal target for a dedicated children’s cancer nurse in east Kent.

The paper launched its appeal in September and gave itself a year to raise the money. But generous readers of the Kentish Gazette and its sister papers in Whitstable, Herne Bay and Faversham, have so far raised £37,693, with more still coming in.

Editor Bob Bounds said: “We are delighted to have reached our target in such a relatively short space of time. It is a great achievement for everyone who has organised events, challenges and donated money. It just goes to show what can be done when the cause is something which inspires us.”

The appeal was launched with the charity CLIC Sargent and the abseil in Canterbury city centre attracted 60 people, who had all pledged to raise a minimum amount of sponsorship. The abseil contributed £8,844 to the appeal.

The money will be used to provide a community children’s cancer nurse in east Kent for a year.