AROUND £8,000 was raised at a black tie charity ball in Beaconsfield in aid of childhood cancer research.

The annual ‘Angel Ball’, organised by The Thomas Ball Children's Cancer Fund, is now in its seventh year and was held at The Bellhouse Hotel.

The charity was founded in 1999 by Thomas Ball, who, aged 14, lost his battle to neuroblastoma - a rare form of nerve cancer found in children.

More than 60 bereaved parents who have lost a child to the disease attended the event on Saturday, October 22.

Elaine Ball, Thomas’ mother and chairman of the charity, said: "Most of the funds raised by The Thomas Ball Children's Cancer Fund are used to provide holidays for very sick children but this is the one event we hold every year that is exclusively for childhood cancer research and we thank all the companies who supported us".

The next fundraiser for the charity is a Christmas Disco at Gt. Missenden Memorial Hall on Saturday 17th December, tickets £8. The charity are also set to benefit from the Santa Grotto to be held within the Chiltern Shopping Centre this year in conjunction with the Bucks Free Press.

Contact details and more information about the charity and neuroblastoma can be found on the charity website www.thomasball.org.uk or by calling Elaine Ball on 01494 890157.