Crisis-hit Telford Tigers will be able to start the new ice hockey season after raising �20,000 in four days.

Fans and businesses have rallied round after the club's main sponsors pulled out on the eve of the new campaign.

"It's been incredible; I've been overwhelmed by the reaction," manager Dave Candlin told BBC Radio Shropshire.

Coach Claude Dumas said: "We didn't think it was possible to get the funds so fast. It shows people care, and that Tigers are important to Shropshire."

The French-Canadian coach, who retired as a player in May, added: "Now we have enough funds in place to see out the season, but we have a lot of work ahead to see how much of the planned squad we can salvage.

"Our first objective was to save the team, and we are so happy to have done that."