WORCESTERSHIRE'S answer to the Great British Bake off gave a big boost to Worcester's breast unit thanks to a mother and daughter who have both battled breast cancer.

The fundraiser for Worcester's life-saving breast unit may have lacked twinkle-eyed housewives's favourite Paul Hollywood or Mary Berry but it lost none of its sparkle for that, raising £650 for the Worcestershire Breast Unit Campaign.

Those with a sweet tooth were spoiled for choice at the fundraiser with a chance to buy a range of tasty cupcakes and even a four tier Snickers cake at the event at Dilmore Avenue, Fernhill Heath, near Worcester on Saturday, August 16.

Kate Butler, a patron of the campaign and a big Bake Off fan, said: "My mother, June Wilcox, and I are both patrons of the campaign.

"We have recently held a 'tea and cakes' morning at home to raise money for the campaign. We raised £650 - which is a staggering amount for such an event.

"Inspired by the Great British Bake Off, we didn't just want to put on a 'coffee morning', so the idea of 'tea and cakes' emerged. We made all our own cakes and many of our attendees also made cakes to help us with our sales. We had a table sale, tombola and a WBUC merchandise table selling the new pink bags. We were so humbled and thankful to everyone that turned up, including most of the residents of Dilmore Avenue, Fernhill Heath, where the event was held."

Around 60 people attended the fundraiser, including Mrs Butler's 90-year-old nan, Doris Francis, who manned the tombola.

Mrs Butler, one of the original calendar girls who launched the campaign in October 2009, said she had been 'staggered' and 'flabbergasted' by the generosity of people.

Some of the ingredients were donated by Sainsbury's St John's which chose the breast unit as its charity of the year after a Dragons' Den style pitch won over supermarket bosses.

Mrs Butler, aged 38, was diagnosed with a grade three invasive ductal carcinoma in her right breast in September 2008 which led to her having a lumpectomy and sentinel node biopsy. She is no stranger to fundraising, completing a 192-mile walk from St Bees in Cumbria to Robin Hood's Bay in Yorkshire, four years ago, boosting the unit to the tune of £4,000. She completed the walk with the man who was to become her husband in April, 2011, Tim Butler.

Your Worcester News continues to support the campaign to create the unit at 220 Newtown Road in the city, near Worcestershire Royal Hospital. The aim is to create a one-stop shop where patients get as much of their care as possible all under one roof with their comfort and dignity paramount throughout.