A CHARITY night for a Newport father suffering from terminal cancer raised over £3,000 on Saturday to support his treatment.

The event for Robert Harrhy, of Kenilworth Road, was attended by more than 200 people, including CJ de Mooi, a former star on BBC television show Eggheads, at Riley’s in the city.

Mr Harrhy, 47, has suffered from two types of cancer. The first, which was located in his bone marrow, has been cured by doctors. But doctors have said another type, the extremely rare large B-cell lymphoma, has been found in his stomach, liver and groin. They have told him the condition is inoperable.

He has been treated at the Royal Gwent Hospital in Newport and is undergoing alternative B-17 metabolical treatment but the medication, which is taken in tablet form, is very expensive.

He said he felt better this week despite his diagnosis: “Last week I had problems getting around a bit about but this week I have been getting around fine.”

Mr Harrhy lives with his partner, daughter, 16, and his son, aged eight.

He will also be phoning a consultant in South Africa this week but the calls cost £300 per hour and friends rallied round to help.

The event was held from 6.30pm on Saturday night until about 3.30am on Sunday morning.

Andrew Corten, who has been ranked as Newport’s number one pool player since 1989 when he was 14, played Mr de Mooi in a few frames. Later they teamed up as doubles partners to play against other players who paid £2 to play against them. Mr Corten, a member of the Riley’s Dream Team at the club on Kingsway, said the matches had raised between £150 and £160. Other money was raised by auctioning off items such as a Newport County shirt and a Newport Gwent Dragons ball. Brian Sullivan, who organised the event, said: “It was great. I really hope we have been able to pay for some of his treatment.”