KIND-HEARTED pals who raised more than £30,000 from a Valentine's Ball are hoping to smash the total with this year's event.

The group of 10 got together to raise money when friend Carmelina Robertson died from breast cancer four years ago.

Sister Maria Stansfield is among the fundraisers whose first event was organising a male stripper at Marl Pits Sport Club, Rawtenstall.

The event got the ball rolling and since then the group has hosted fundraisers at the Dunkenhalgh Hotel, Clayton-le-Moors, which last year raised £33,000 for the Breakthrough Breast Cancer charity.

This year's event, also at the hotel, will include an auction hosted by Nev Neville -- father of Manchester United and England soccer stars Gary and Phil. He will auction items including a signed Prince Charles picture, a pair of trainers signed by George Best and 64 other prizes.

Carmelina -- known as Carm to her friends -- was originally from Burnley and a pupil at St Hilda's RC High School.

She moved to Scotland after marrying former Burnley footballer Stuart Robertson. She fought the illness for four-and-a-half years but lost her battle in 1998.

Maria, from Waingate Road, Rawtenstall, enlisted the help of friends to help organise the fund-raising events.

She said said: "So far we have raised £98,000 and each year it just keeps getting better and better.

"Every year we think we won't beat the previous year's total but it's thanks to all the kind donations and all the generous bidders that we keep smashing the total."

This year's event is on February 15 at 7.30pm and all of the tickets, priced £50, have already been sold.