A BACKWELL family who are trying to raise �10,000 for various children’s charities by completing 10 events this year, sold out a concert in just five days.

Jan Lydon filled the WI Hall earlier this month, raising �1,100 after announcing foot-tapping favourites The Backwell Trio were to play popular tunes from the 1960s and 1970s.

Now Jan, who is raising funds for a Down’s Syndrome support group because her eight-year-old grandson Matthew has the syndrome, is organising a second gig in late spring to accommodate a waiting list of more than 70 people.

Her son-in-law, Andy Coppins, who lives in Nottingham with Jan’s daughter Helen and their three children, decided to celebrate the Olympics, which co-incides with his 40th birthday, by creating The Copathlon, 10 events loosely based on the 10 decathlon disciplines.

As well as supporting two organisations which help his son, who does not speak, and also suffers with a heart condition and autism, Andy is fundraising for a school and orphanage in Romania.

He helps out at the school, run by an English woman for special needs children, every summer, along with friends and family members.

Jan said: “The concert was an amazing success.

“The group has a huge following locally and from further afield, with fans coming from Newport and one couple from France, so very few of my friends were able to come.

“We were so lucky to have had so much help, from these and other friends who set up, cleared away, donated raffle prizes and one friend bought flowers and decorated the tables.

“I just wanted to support a brilliant husband, father and fundraiser and could not have done better than to ask The Backwell Trio.”

So far, to tie in with the 100 metres, Andy and three friends ran 100 miles in two days, the shot putt was a clay pigeon shoot and the high jump was a Hawaiian party with limbo dancing.

He is now planning a bike ride from Land’s End to John O’Groats for the 1500 metres, a skipathon for children to fit with the hurdles, a treasure hunt for the pole vault and a golf tournament relating to the long jump.

To sponsor Andy, or for more information, log onto www.copathlon.org.uk