IT didn't take a proper football match to make Bob Higham, at 19st 5lbs, realise how unfit and overweight he was - only a 10 minute kick-around in the garden with his three year old son Daniel.

But what Bob, a 39-year-old Westhoughton taxi driver and two mates did about their long standing weight problems has now resulted in him raising £1,234 towards the £25m centenary appeal of Manchester's Christie Hospital, with his pals also collecting hefty sums for their own charities.

"I need to lose weight," Bob had moaned to George Tipton, landlord of his local, the Red Lion.

"So do I," said George, 56, who is noted for his charity fund raising efforts.

"And me," barman Steve White, 38, chipped in.

So the three men bet £20 each as to who could lose the most in three months.

With that, they promptly came off beer and on to diet coke.

"If that was hard for me it was obviously doubly hard for George and Steve," admitted Bob who became a regular at the gym.

The result, Bob has reduced his weight to 16st 10lbs -- George from 16st 9lbs to 13st 1lb and Steve from 18st 13lbs to 15st 1lb. So Steve claimed £40 from the other two to add to the £600 plus he raised towards his charity, Nordoff Robbins Therapy for Autistic Children.

George chipped in with £1,100 for Manchester Children's Hospital Charity.

The trio were together again at the Red Lion this week to hand over their money -- and celebrate with a beer.

"It's changed my whole lifestyle," said Bob as he gave his cheque to avid Christie fundraiser Bob Splaine of Atherton.

"I got family, friends, and customers to sponsor me for Christie's, because the hospital treated my father Stan before he died of cancer three years ago. But really, I did it for myself, and I feel so much better for it. Besides, my wife Jackie gave birth to our second boy Jordan four weeks ago, so I've a lot more running around to do yet ....!"