A BAR manager who survived major surgery on a brain tumour has won a charity boxing match.

Paul Hatton, 39, who runs late night bar the Ivory Rooms, in Laindon Road, Billericay, endured an eight-hour operation to remove a tumour the size of an egg two years ago.

The tumour was non-cancerous and Mr Hatton made such a good recovery he was able to out-box fellow pub boss Brian McKay, 50, from the East Anglian Pub Group, which runs the Peter Boat in Leigh.

Despite having never boxed before, Mr Hatton knocked his opponent down in the third round and was declared winner of the fight, held in a marquee at Warner’s Bridge, Southend.

He raised £1,200 for Billericay charity the Hammelin Trust, which supports disabled people.

He said: “After my operation I thought that was it, and I would never be able to do much sport again. But now I’m fine and am as active as I ever was before.

“I had never boxed before I was asked to do the charity match, but now I love it and I’ll definitely be keeping it up.”

The two men fought over three two-minute rounds.

Mr Hatton’s sons Sam, 12, and Jay, eight, watched their dad square-up to Mr McKay.

He said: “The boys really enjoyed it, but I don’t know how much they would have liked it if I’d been the one on the floor.”