A boat race held in memory of a weekly newspaper journalist who died from leukaemia has raised more than £8,000.

The Forget-Me Not event was held last month in memory of Ripley and Heanor News sub-editor Richard Woolley who died in October 2009 at the age of 26.

The event took place at Rother Valley Country Park in Sheffield and saw a series of Chinese dragon boat races over a 200m course.

It raised more than £8,000 for Leukaemia and Lymphoma Research and Anthony Nolan charities and people were encouraged to sign up as blood donors on the day.

Richard was working as a sub-editor at the Ripley and Heanor News when he was diagnosed with Acute Myloid Leukaemia at the age of 25, having started out as a reporter at the title. He has also worked as a reporter at sister title the Matlock Mercury.

He died in October 2009, 18 months after his diagnosis and a year after his wedding to wife Mary.

More than £3,000 has already been raised from sales of a book that Richard wrote called Leukeamia – My Marathon for Love, and from performances of plays he had written.