Magnet fishing fans net cash for foodbank fund

Members of a county-based magnet fishing group have netted a charitable donation for a Kettering foodbank.

Northants Magnet Fishing founder, Nigel Lamford asked subscribers to his popular You Tube channel for suggestions of good causes to receive the £240 proceeds of a raffle.

The fishing group uses super powerful magnets to pull submerged metal objects from rivers and canals which they video and broadcast to viewers ranging from eleven to 97-years-old in 42 different countries.

Nigel, 48, who lives in Thrapston, said: "We can't go out due to the coronavirus lockdown so we have an online Friday night live event which is a bit of fun.

"We were giving away some magnets on the show after we got some companies to sponsor us and we did a raffle to raise money for a charity.

"We asked for suggestions and several people nominated a foodbank because they had been helped by one.

"Foodbanks have been struggling and I wanted to help close to home."

Nigel contacted the Trussell Trust Foodbank in Kettering and will splash the cash on much-needed tinned items including meat, fruit, puddings and vegetables, and coffee and tea.

He said: "I contacted the foodbank to see what they actually needed they don't just want tins of beans they want a greater variety."

Since starting Northants Magnet Fishing group, Nigel has managed to retrieve hundreds of metal objects including guns, road signs, medals, scaffolding equipment and even a tin of food from a canal in Stoke-on-Trent.

He added: "The last can I pulled out of the water didn't have a label so I hit it with a crowbar. The second time I hit it, it exploded and the contents sprayed all over me and my face. Some went in my mouth but luckily it was a can of cherries. It would have been much worse if it had been dog food."

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