Telegraph & Argus readers are proving that they are great sports when it comes to raising funds for the Bradford Can...Cancer Research Appeal.

A trio of snooker fans raised £1,300 yesterday from a 24-hour sponsored silence.

And 16 youngsters from West Bowling Youth Initiative got on their bikes for a gruelling sponsored ride from Bowness-on-Windermere to Bradford, which raised £2,100.

Both figures will now be match funded by Sovereign Healthcare and donated to the T&A appeal, which aims to raise £1 million for cancer research in Bradford. When that figure is reached it will trigger a further £5 million of funding from The Cancer Research Campaign.

Pictured from left to right are Dave Regan, Janet Seymour and Eric Dunn (with appeal director Gille Andrews, right), who decided to hold a sponsored silence at their local, the 147 Snooker Bar, in Laisterdyke, after a friend told Eric he would give him £100 if he would keep quiet for a whole day.

Licensee Brain Knowles said: "It all started out as a joke but they decided to do it for real and give the money to the Can Appeal. My customers kept asking them questions and trying to get them to respond but they were brilliant."

Senior youth worker Nazaket Ali took part in the sponsored cycle ride held by West Bowling Youth Initiative.

He said: "The trip was unbelievable. It is one of the best things I have been involved with."

The money will be used to fund pioneering research at the University of Bradford's Cancer Research Unit and patient trials of anti-cancer drugs at the Bradford Royal Infirmary.