A whirlwind of racing and auctioneering ended with almost £3,500 being added to the fund for Alton Phoenix footballer Regan Hitch’s rehabilitation after a serious knee injury.

Tree surgeon Regan, known as Reggie to his friends, snapped three of the four ligaments in his right knee in a freak collision with another player during a training session with Alton FC’s Sunday league side in November.

With Reggie facing months of operations and physiotherapist appointments while being unable to work, team-mate Oliver Dickson set up a GoFundMe page, Help Reggie Rebuild His Life, to help pay for physiotherapy and his living expenses. So far it has raised £5,155 towards a £12,500 target.

And on Saturday night Reggie’s team-mates, friends and family packed the clubhouse at the Anstey Park Enclosure for Reggie’s Race Night and Auction.

The action was fast and furious as the organisers kept the audience’s attention to ensure as much money as possible flowed into Reggie’s fund.

The seven races shown on a big screen were chosen at random from a total of 30 programmed into a computer, with different audience members invited to draw out a number to select the film for each race.

Races two, four and six were each followed by the auctioning of around 20 of the 67 lots on offer. There was a pause for breath after race four to allow everybody to pick up the burger or hot dog included in their £10 ticket while the auction continued.

The lots comprised a varied mix of items, experiences and services donated by a wide range of local businesses, plus a range of goodies from the Alton FC shop. The highlights were ringside seats for a boxing event at the O2 and a city break in Rome, Budapest, Prague or Barcelona.

Each eight-runner race had a theme - film and television horses, superheroes, Snow White, television programmes, films, songs, and film and television dogs - to give everybody a strong reason to pick a favourite for each race.

As well as flat and hurdle horse races, there was also an indoor hurdle race for pigs, and a race for Afghan hounds at Sittingbourne greyhound track. The last dog home earned a standing ovation as he walked over the finish line.

Following the sixth race Reggie was invited to take a seat at the front to watch a video of his footballing highlights and another comprising many messages of support, then Oliver presented him with a framed Alton shirt and photographs.

Asked to make a speech, Reggie said: “I mean normally I like the attention on the pitch but stood here I’m shaking like a nervous dog.

“I just want to say a big thanks to everyone for turning up today, it means the absolute world to me, and Olly, Billy, Alison, all of you putting in the graft for me, it means the world.

“Just thanks to you all again. If I could ever repay you I would, but for now thanks so much.”