COFFEE drinkers in Herefordshire are record breakers again.

They consumed enough last month to rake in about £40,000 for the Macmillan Cancer Support World's Biggest Coffee Morning event.

All the money will go to the Macmillan Renton Appeal, which wants to raise £1.5 million in the county for a new cancer unit at County Hospital.

"Herefordshire did it again - very well done," said Ron Davies, the delighted fund-raiser in charge of the appeal.

Mr Davies said ever-generous Herefordshire people had cracked several records for the region - which includes Gloucestershire, Staffordshire, the Black Country, Shropshire, Worcestershire, and Warwickshire.

A total of 244 registrations were received and what the people drank at those events brought in the equivalent of 21p per cup per head of the population.

Mr Davies said some counties with bigger populations struggled to make an average of 10p per cup.

In the end, Herefordshire was the first to hit its predicted target of £35,000 and has now speeded on to £38,000 with more coming in - more than doubling the amount raised in 2003.