A FUND set up by the father of young cancer sufferer Bobby Wright this year became the subject of an investigation — and of a story with many twists and turns.

The Gambling Commission began their probe into Bobby's Fund at the home of Bobby's dad Kevin Wright, in Kenn, near Exeter.

The fund had been set up several years ago to raise money for the overseas treatment of Bobby, who was suffering from an aggressive form of cancer known as neuroblastoma. After Bobby, now six, made a full recovery, Kevin set up Bobby's Fund and continued to raise money for other children suffering from cancer across the UK.

The fund had been operating under a local authority licence, granted by Teignbridge District Council. But it raised so much money — more than £250,000 a year — it had to apply for a Gambling Commission licence. Mr Wright obtained the licence but objected to paying £5,200 to "bureaucrats" to renew it.

After several former employees contacted the Echo, Mr Wright then admitted using violence on a member of staff employed to raise money for Bobby's Fund.

And on August 20, he hit the front page of the Echo again, this time saying he had been forced to close Bobby's Fund because of "negative publicity".

But despite the adverse publicity, Mr Wright was back in the headlines two days later after an extraordinary U-turn.

He said he had decided against its closure after several people offered to work for him, some for free.

The Gambling Commission investigation into Bobby's Fund is continuing.