Donations raised for charity by sleeping patrons at Bristol hotel

A Bristol hotel has raised £5,000 for prostate cancer research in the city.

Guests at the Marriott Royal Hotel supported the Bristol Urological Institute's (BUI) Prostate Cancer Appeal by adding a pound to their bill when they paid for their stay.

More than 10,000 men die from prostate cancer each year but research in the city is at the forefront of finding a test to diagnose the disease and its potential severity.

The Pound On The Pillow scheme run by the hotel in College Green encouraged guests to add a donation to their bill in support of Run for the Future, the annual 5km fun run organised by Bristol Rotarians.

The cause supports the BUI's appeal while also raising awareness about the disease.

So far the Marriott initiative has raised about £5,000, which was handed over to Run for the Future organiser Martina Peattie.

The run, which will be held for the fifth year next September, has raised almost £170,000 in total for the charity.

Money raised through the event is being used to fund joint research between the BUI at Southmead Hospital and the University of the West of England.

Martina Peattie said: "They may not have realised the contribution they will have made while they were sleeping but every pound will help us fight prostate cancer. It's hoped the research carried out in Bristol will lead to the introduction of a national screening programme on the N HS, which would save thousands of lives."

Run organisers are appealing to competitors who took part in the race in September to send in sponsorship money before the end of the year.