Sid Valley Rotary Club toasted a successful evening of fundraising after its charity dinner raised more than £8,000.

Flight Lieutenant Jonathan ‘Jonny’ Dowen, who grew up in the valley, enthralled diners with a presentation about his time as the 2015 RAF Typhoon display pilot.

Jonny also assisted in a special auction of a series of ‘money can’t buy’ prizes, including one of his specially-made black flying suits and a tour for four people to visit his RAF base in Coningsby, Lincolnshire. After a bidding frenzy, the prizes were sold for a combined total of £2,100. In a separate grand raffle, prizes raised £1,900. Some 170 people attended the black tie event at Woodbury Park Hotel and Golf Club on Saturday evening.

Jonny’s dad, Paul Dowen, who helped organise the event, said: “It was a successful event. Everyone really enjoyed the evening.”

The club will be donating the money to two RAF charities and four local youth causes.