A COUNTY Gazette-backed appeal for a cancer charity passed another landmark this week as the total raised since the two linked up went over the £550,000 mark.

Latest donations to the Somerset Unit for Radiotherapy Equipment (SURE) include are £3.80 in 5p coins from Pauline Harrison, and £139.30 from Teares Newsagents, in Wellington, made up of £89.30 from the collection pots and £50 from the 5p pots.

The charity, which helps equip the Beacon Centre cancer unit at Taunton's Musgrove Park Hospital, was also boosted by £45 in 5ps from the New Horizon Singers, £46.49 from the collection pots at Tesco Express, Lisieux Way, Taunton, and £19.07 from the collection pot at the Esso Garage, Wellington Road, Taunton.

There was £2 from A. Sutton, £2 in 5ps from C. Larcombe, £48.55 from Tesco Express, Priorswood Road, Taunton, £187.70 from a bucket collection at Tesco superstore, Taunton, and £153.06 from Minster Pharmacy, Ilminster, which included £138.60 from the 5ps pots and £7.57 from the collection pot.

Also given over the past week was £22.65 in 5ps from Jean Sydenham and Bett Clunie, £14 in 5ps from Art and Rose Saunders, £13.25 in 5ps from Mary Cooper, and an anonymous donation of £2.05 in 5ps.

There was £50 in 5ps from the South Somerset Choral Society, £5 in 5ps from Creech St Michael WI, £91.65, including £67.85 in 5ps, from Blagdon Retirement Village, Taunton, and £6.65 in 5ps from Beryl Brown, of Creech St Michael.

And SURE benefited from £100.50 from Sutton Bingham Sailing Club, of Halstock, raised by entry fees from a recent racing day, as well as £63.40 in 5ps from the Thursday Women's Fellowship, Wellington, and £153.20 from the Beacon Centre, which included £110 in 5ps.

The week's total of £1,176.89 means £550,025.37 has been raised since SURE linked up with the County Gazette.