MORE than 30 punters at a Blackburn pub took on liquid refreshments in more ways than one this week.

The Hare and Hounds in Lammack Road hosted a mass ‘ice bucket challenge’ to help raise money for the Motor Neurone Disease Association.

And among those taking part were Sue Devaney, who lost her mum Joan Smith to the disease in March this year. For Sue, 45, of Ramsgreave Drive, it was the second time she had joined the global craze and had a bucket of icy water poured over her head, but she said it was very much worth it.

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Sue, who is senior marketing officer for St Mary’s College in Blackburn, said she wanted to raise awareness of the cruel disease.

She said: “Diagnosis takes such a long time. They have to discount a lot of other things because symptoms vary.

“My mum started with her voice and her throat was affected as well as the rest of her upper body.

“She could not swallow so she would choke a lot and she lost a lot of weight. Then her speech went which was the hardest part for us because then she could not communicate with us.

“I want to raise awareness to help doctors know what to look for and research.”

Pub owner Ian Robertson said: “We had about 30 people do it and even more watching.

“We raised a lot of money. I haven’t had chance to count it yet but it must be at least a couple of hundred pounds.

“Three people who come in the pub who have lost family members, so it has been good to do it.”