Stars ditch wellies for black ties

From the archive, first published Tuesday 12th Feb 2008.

Stars of a popular TV soap are coming out to shine at a cancer charity's ball.

Emmerdale celebrities will be joining 300 other guests at this year's Marie Curie Cancer Care Diamond and Daffodil Ball.

Verity Rushworth, who plays Donna Dingle Windsor, Steve Halliwell, who is Zac Dingle, and Mathew Bose, who is barman Paul Lambert, will be leaving wellies and the Woolpack behind for the black tie event at The Cedar Court Hotel, Bradford, on Saturday, March 1.

The ball, sponsored by Bradford & Bingley and Sovereign Health Care, marks a year of celebrations for the charity as it reaches its 60th anniversary. Everything raised will go to the charity's Bradford hospice in Maudesley Street.

Emmerdale cast members are big supporters of Marie Curie and earlier this year Verity delighted patients when she took time out from filming to visit patients at the hospice and switched on the Christmas lights at the home of one of its fundraisers to bring in cash for the cause.

West Yorkshire area fundraising manager Brian Curran said: "We are delighted our friends from Emmerdale can join us on this special occasion."

It will be the charity's tenth ball and organisers are hoping it will be the biggest and best yet and they are looking for more guests to join them as well as organisations and companies interested in corporate tickets.

Tickets - which include a champagne reception, dinner and dancing to a disco and entertainment from King Pleasure and the Biscuit Boys - are £50 per head.

To book, call the fundraising office on (01274) 337036 or e-mail brenda.doyle@mariecurie.org.uk.