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Mourners give four-figure sum to longest running newspaper appeal

John McNichollMourners paid tribute to a cancer victim by donating more than £1,000 to the longest running newspaper charity campaign in the country.

Family and friends at the funeral of John McNicholl, pictured left, gave £1,320 to the Yorkshire Evening Post’s Half and Half Appeal, which has been running since 1982.

The newspaper launched its ‘Project £3m’ capaign last year with the aim of reaching the milestone in donations.

Since its inception, the appeal has raised £2.9m for two hospices in the Leeds area.

John had been a big supporter of the campaign, and had always pledged to donate the majority of his winnings to the cause should he ever win the lottery.

He died aged 69 after a short battle with lung and brain cancer.

His wife Susan, 64, told the YEP: “He always said ‘If I ever win millions of pounds, most of it would go the Half and Half Appeal, or direct to the hospices’.

“The hospices are so worthwhile and they don’t get anywhere near enough money.

“John had cancer and would have been in the hospice if he hadn’t died so suddenly.

“I just wanted to help them. You never know when you might need them and if there’s no money to run the places they will just close down.”