A tandoori restaurant in Weymouth has donated hundreds of pounds to support a local charity.

The Society for the Protection of Markham and Little Francis are holding a Christmas raffle to raise money for their campaign against a housing development on Curtis Fields.

Weymouth Tandoori, Maiden Street, has donated £500 as a cash prize for the raffle and a meal for two at the restaurant as fourth prize.

Jamal Uddin, restaurant owner, said: “We always give to charities and have supported many of the local sports teams over the past 25 years.

“I’m pleased to support the community, a lot of people use the land, which is near where I live, so it seemed like a good cause.”

Last year the raffle raised more than £3,000 which went towards the legal costs of an appeal against a proposal to build houses on the land, so far this year they have collected £1,000.

Mary Larkin, a committee member, said: “We raised a lot last year but we do need a shed load more, we’re having a push with the raffle.

“Last year we did really well but this year we have even more people selling tickets so it should be even better.”

Members of the local community have been fundraising for years and have raised over £50,000 so far, £41,000 of which has already been spent on legal fees.

Gill Turner, a local councillor who supports the society, said: “We’ve been sidelined into this legal battle but when it’s out of the way we can continue with our fundraisers.”

“Everything we’ve done so far has been a huge success and I’ve loved doing it,” said Mrs Larkin. “It’s been a struggle at times but it has been worth it.

“At all our events we have done have had a good following and we would want to keep doing them.”

The society will have a stall at the Weymouth Christmas Sparkle.

There will be carol singing on Wed-nesday, December 21, with a a meeting afterwards in the Admiral Hardy pub where there will be a raffle.