CHARITY fundraiser Mick Baines is quids in - after asking celebrities to spare him a fiver!

The Christie Hospital, Manchester, helped save him from leukaemia - giving him a bone marrow transplant in December 2001, and a second minor transplant in February 2002.

So far, around 40 celebrities - including Richard Branson, Martin Clunes and Phil Collins, who sent £10 and even apologised for taking so long - have replied to his letter asking for help to raise money for the adult leukaemia centre at the world-famous hospital.

Mick, 44, of Bolton Road, Abbey Village, near Blackburn, said: "We held an autograph auction about two years ago and that raised a lot of money for the Anthony Nolan Bone Marrow Trust, which found my marrow match for me in America.

"We wanted to do something to help the unit at Christie's because they have been very good to us.

"A lot of celebrities were more than happy to help last time, but we just thought we'd ask them for the cash this time, never knowing what the reaction would be like. We've got a book wi th hundreds of names and addresses in and we've started working through those.

"We've only done A to D so far, and had about 40 responses."

Other stars donating at least £5 - which is what Mick, who now works part time at Asda in Blackburn cheekily asked for - include Jane Asher, David Bellamy, Christopher Biggins, Ian Botham, Robbie Coltrane and Wendy Craig. Angus Deayton, Sharron Davies and Val Doonican also sent cash back, while Frank Carson sent a fiver - and signed it too!

But comedian Rory Bremner is the one who has impressed Mick the most.

Mick, a former Great Harwood and Blackburn policeman, added: "Like quite a few of them, he rang Christie's to make sure that what I was doing was official, which I can understand.

"He then sent £40 to us, and has followed that up with a direct donation to them for £100. It's going really well."

Mick's wife Julia is also planning a fund-raising drive for Christie's - swimming in a shark tank in February. She will be joined by the couple's son, Andrew, 23.

Currently, at Christie's, patients with leukaemia in remission, such as Mick, have to use the same department as other outpatients which can pose problems particularly if a bug is going around because leukaemia attacks and destroys the immune system.

Mick was first diagnosed with leukaemia in 1997, and a worldwide search took place to try a find a bone marrow match.