STAFF at the opticians which diagnosed a Thornbury father’s brain tumour raised more than £350 for a local charity.

Specsavers at St Mary’s Parade held a cake sale on Saturday, June 7 to raise money for Thornbury charity Brain Tumour Support, formerly known as Hammer Out Brain Tumours.

As reported in the Gazette in April, Thornbury father-of-two Jason Carroll’s life was saved after he was diagnosed with a brain tumour following an eye exam at the store.

The 44-year-old went for an eye test after the vision in his right eye started deteriorating and he suffered flashes of light.

When pre-registration optician Sania Shah noticed irregularities, she referred Mr Carroll to Bristol Eye Hospital, where he was diagnosed with a large tumour.

He underwent lifesaving surgery at Frenchay Hospital just days later.

Store manager Claire Stones, store manager said the day could not have gone any better. She said: “We were overwhelmed by the support not only from our customers but from the general public.

“Some of our customers even brought in cakes they had made for the sale. It was a very special day.”

The cake sale raised £350 for Brain Tumour Support and one lucky customer won a pair of single vision designer glasses worth £125 from the raffle.

Ms Stones added: “It was great to have a representative from the Brain Tumour Support charity in store to talk to customers and raise awareness about their work.

“Hopefully this fundraising day and Jason’s diagnosis both demonstrate just how important regular eye examinations are, not just for your sight but for your overall health.”