A CHARITY fund set up in memory of a popular Cromer lifeboatman who died of heart disease has beaten its fundraising target by nearly a fifth.Tracy Vanzino aimed to raise £5,000 when she set up the Gio Vanzino Memorial Fund, in memory of her husband, last year.

A CHARITY fund set up in memory of a popular Cromer lifeboatman who died of heart disease has beaten its fundraising target by nearly a fifth.

Tracy Vanzino aimed to raise £5,000 when she set up the Gio Vanzino Memorial Fund, in memory of her husband, last year.

Since June 2007, through a charity cricket match, raffles and collecting at Cromer Carnival, the fund has raised £5,910, all of which will now go to the Balloons4Hearts appeal.

The appeal smashed its £1m target earlier this month and the money raised will help save lives by providing the space and equipment for a new operating theatre to help coronary patients at the Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital.

Mrs Vanzino said: “I am absolutely delighted.

“When I said we wanted to raise £5,000 some people thought we could not do it.

“In fact we have raised nearly £1,000 more and I know more has been sent directly to Balloons4Hearts because of the fundraising we have done.

“Gio was very community minded and was known for his willingness to always lend a hand. He would have been very pleased with this.”

Mr Vanzino, a dedicated community stalwart who was well known in Cromer and across north Norfolk, lost his four-year battle with heart disease in August 2006.

The 35-year-old left behind his wife and their 10-year-old son Harry.

Although the Balloons4Hearts appeal

has met its target Mrs Vanzino said she would continue to keep the memorial fund going and raise money for other local charities.