About �1,700 has been raised by pool fans in Attleborough who enjoyed an evening with one of the top figures in the sport.

Former world champion and showman Carl 'Houdini' Morris is in the middle of special charity tour which will see him visit 43 venues, in all 43 of England's counties in 43 consecutive days with the hope of raising �43,000 to help in the fight against breast cancer.

On Tuesday night, Attleborough Snooker Centre hosted the Norfolk leg of the challenge which saw Carl put on a dazzling display of trick shots and allowed regular members to pit their skills against him.

Each venue on the tour must pledge to raise at least �1,000, but the centre had already raised �1,200 before the evening had even begun.

Marshall Morter, chairman of the Norfolk County Pool Association and event organiser, said the money had been collected at bingo nights, pool marathons and raffles.

On welcoming Carl to the snooker centre, he added: 'We've really delighted that he has come here. We've put a lot of work into the fundraising.'

Carl, of Stoke-on-Trent, who was ranked number one in the world in 1999 and 2000, said the support from the venues had been amazing.

His Attleborough stop was the 18th in the series and about �39,000 had already been raised for his chosen charity Against Breast Cancer.

On why he chose to help breast cancer patients, he added: 'A lot of family members have suffered from breast cancer and the amount of people I have met on my travels affected by it is amazing.

'The number of people who die from breast cancer is too high for this country with its health care and technology. We have got to get that down and to do that we need money.'

The 43 Counties Challenge is set to finish in Carl's home county of Kent on August 20.

For more information, visit www.charitypoolexhibitions.org