VOLKSWAGEN enthusiasts have raised thousands of pounds more than expected for a trio of charities.

The Dub Aid event saw hundreds of VW van drivers and their friends camp at Castle Combe, followed by a convoy-style parade though Wootton Bassett in March.

Around 350 vehicles drove in procession through the soon-to-be Royal-titled town.

Their target, through sales and sponsorship, was £6,000 to be spread across Help for Heroes, St John’s Ambulance, and Age Concern, the preferred charity of mayor Mary Champion.

But on Saturday, organiser Rob Veysey presented a cheque of £9,000 to the mayor and Help for Heroes fundraiser at the town’s cenotaph – a 50 per cent higher sum than they anticipated.

Mr Veysey, 39, from Chippenham, was one of eight organisers, and drove through the town in his VW van that day.

He said: “To be £3,000 above what we were planning on raising is pretty good. In fact, it’s brilliant.

“We gave ourselves a reasonable target, but raising that much more is absolutely brilliant.

“If we do another one we’ll keep the same basis. It’ll still be called Dub Aid but it’ll be for other charities beside Help for Heroes.

“I was just the person who came up with the idea. If it wasn’t for other people we’d never have succeeded in the way we have.”

Mr Veysey said they will decide this summer whether they will hold a similar fundraising parade next year.

The £9,000 is to be split up as follows: £6,000 for Help for Heroes, £2,000 for St John’s Ambulance, and £1,000 for Age Concern.