A THANK-YOU gift of £2,500 could be on its way to Lancashire's breast screening unit thanks to a group of Fylde women whose lives were saved by the service.

Pat Oddy, Mary Cardwell, Eunice Myerscough and Ann Biswas were all sent for mastectomy operations after screening revealed tumours in their breasts.

Now, they are repaying the debt by holding a charity fashion show at which they hope to raise £1,000 for their cause.

Joined by two friends, Barbara Fielding and Barbara Kellet, the group has already collected £1,500 since May for the North Lancashire Breast Screening Service which hopes to build a new extension at the Lancaster Royal Infirmary where all four were treated.

But they never dreamed of how successful their appeal would be when they started off with a small tombola in Poulton's Teanlowe shopping centre.

Pat explained: "We just had it in our minds that we would raise a couple of hundred pounds and we actually got £445.

"Then we bought a couple of porcelain dolls and raffled those off which brought in £447 and we caught the bug. We would come home from events on a high."

The women's latest venture is a Susie Brannigan charity fashion show at Thornton International Club, Gamble Road, on October 13.

As well as the clothes being on sale, a prize draw has been lined up with prizes donated from the likes of the Savoy Hotel in Blackpool and Fisherman's Friend, Fleetwood.

"We want to thank them for their generosity and hope many people turn up on the night," said Pat, who had a mastectomy earlier this year after routine screening revealed a tumour.

"We know all charities want money but this appeal was something which was important to all of us.

"Without screening I wouldn't have known there was anything wrong with me."

Tickets for the show are £2.50 and are available on 884559.

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