A POOL player is preparing to rack up a huge amount of cash for St Vincent’s Hospice by potting 7,000 balls in 24 hours.

Phil Steven, who is no stranger to pocketing cash for the charity, previously potted 5,000 balls in 15 hours in 2016 and 6,000 in 24 hours last year – much to the delight of the Howwood hospice which has received more than £7,500 as a result of the father-of-two’s efforts.

Now he hopes to break his previous records and raise another £2,500 for the hospice taking his fundraising total over the last three years to £10,000.

However, the mechanic, who works for Arnold Clark, admitted this year the time limit will be tighter than ever.

Phil’s big challenge will take place at Midton Bowling Club on Saturday, December 15, where he will be joined over the course of the day by referees, friends, his wife Lorna and their two sons.

Phil told the Gazette: “I will begin the challenge at midnight on the Friday and finish 24 hours later on the Saturday. In that time I will pot 465 frames, but there is more pressure this year because when I did the 6,000 I finished at 10.50pm, so it will be tight this time around but I’m trying not to think about that.”

And this year the challenge means a little bit more to the 53-year-old as his best friend’s mum passed away in the hospice.

“My mate’s mum spent her last days there,” he continued. “If I wasn’t going to do the challenge again this year that would have made me do it. I also know one of the girls who works at the hospice as she used to be my colleague at Arnold Clark.”

Fundraiser for St Vincent’s Hospice, Linda Campbell, said: “We are so grateful to Phil for once again taking on the challenge for our hospice, and cannot thank him enough for the lengths he has gone to over the last three years. 

“Originally only raising money for the hospice because it was a good cause on his doorstep, sadly this year a close friend’s mother spent her final days at the hospice, making this year all the more important.

“If he hits his target this year, he will have raised a staggering £10,000 for St Vincent’s. More than half our funding comes from voluntary donations and fundraising efforts from people like Phil. Please, offer him any support you can.”

Want to donate?  Visit www.justgiving.com/fundraising/phil-steven1.