A Hampshire insurance company has celebrated its 10th anniversary by raising £70,000 for charity.

Staff at Portmore Insurance celebrated the milestone with a black tie fund-raising gala dinner at the Hilton Hotel, Ageas Bowl.

More than 400 Portmore colleagues, clients, insurance companies and service providers enjoyed a dinner, which was the culmination of charity challenges for the Southampton-based company that specialises in commercial business insurance.

Portmore has been raising cash throughout 2016 for Hampshire homelessness charity Society of St James, and the Lahna Appeal which buys equipment for Southampton General Hospital.

Director Graham Jacobs and founding director Paul Chapman hosted the gala evening during which compere Denis Bundy presided over games and an auction to boost the charity total.

It followed a series of challenges undertaken by Portmore staff, including 13 cyclists riding from the firm’s Test Lane HQ to the Eiffel Tower in Paris, a 24-hour indoor triathlon, a 26-mile walk on the Isle of Wight and a 100k trek on the South Downs Way.

Graham said: “It was a cracking evening, a stunning end to a wonderful year in which we have achieved so much as a company.

“It was a humbling experience to look around the ballroom and realise all those people were there because of Portmore – and how so many business partnerships have blossomed into friendships.

“We staged the dinner to thank people for their support over our 10 years and showcase the charities – who receive every penny of the incredible amount raised.”