Haverhill Echo reporter Derek Bish has helped to raise around £800 for charity after competing in a marathon 24-hour tennis match.

Derek, (19), and his opponent Ross Bridger, played continuously from 8pm on Friday evening to 8pm on Saturday, completing 28 sets.

The journalist dreamt up the stunt to raise money for a club house for Haverhill Lawn Tennis Club, where he is a member, and half of the all the sponsorship money will also go the local NCH Family Centre.

He told HoldtheFrontPage: "Ross jumped at the chance to take part, but he is probably regretting it now.

"The first eight hours were quite easy and we played 11 sets where the tennis was quite good.

"It got quite competitive and there were one or two John McEnroe-type strops thrown!

"At about 4am it got harder and for a few hours I felt like I was playing whilst asleep."

To raise their spirits a few spectators gathered for the end of the match, and it eventually finished 17 sets to 11 in Ross's favour, with Derek leading 4-1 in the 29th set.

Derek said: "There will be no rematch. I think it was a once-in-a-lifetime thing.

"The blisters were the worst - I counted 15 on my feet on Sunday."