A DUDLEY gym has raised £20,000 for borough charities over the last five years.

This year, Unique Fitness for Ladies Only has pulled in £3,920 to purchase two syringe drivers for the premature baby unit at Russells Hall Hospital and a cat pen for Dudley-based animal charity Raven's Rescue.

Cash was raised through four events - two aerobathons, an open activity day and a 2,000 calorie challenge.

The latter saw gym members Lisa Brooks, Katie Rowley, Molly Tulloch, Zivile Zigariene, Joy Patel, Sara Gwynne, Teresa Smith, Gurjit Aujla and Jo Wilde burn 2,000 calories in under two hours using the stepper, one of the Castle Hill gym's more challenging machines.

Gym owner Raj Kaur, thanked everyone for their "superhuman efforts", adding: "I think it is very important to raise funds for local causes because most of the time the focus is on a bigger scale problems.

"We cannot forget about people who are in need in our close community.

"I also like to put a smile on people's faces, it is nice to know that someone is there to help the local community."

Raj, who was born prematurely, weighing just one pound, said she decided to purchase the two syringe drivers, which regulate the supply of fluids, vitamins, nutrients and medication, as she realised "how difficult it is to fight for the baby to survive".

Speaking of her decision to donate the remaining £320 to Raven's Rescue, which needs a pen to cope with the influx of cats requiring help, she said: "I'm not an animal lover but I had a dream that I had to do something to help animals!"