THE fundraising for the Somerset Unit for Radiotherapy Equipment (SURE) broke through the £60,000 mark this week.

Generous donations of £540.88 in the memory of R Jeans and of £50 from P Glanville have been received bringing the amount raised by the County Gazette-backed appeal to a massive £60,520.

SURE is aiming to raise £750,000 to provide diagnostic and treatment equipment for a new cancer centre, which is due to be built at Taunton's Musgrove Park Hospital this year.

The group want to buy a CT simulator/ scanner, which will be able to pinpoint the exact size and location of a tumour to allow very precise treatment to be given.

They will also pay for training and maintenance costs of the scanner for three years and for a room to be equipped for making lead masks to protect patients with cancer in their head.

SURE started fundraising back in 2000 and earlier this month they reached the £1/2million mark.

Two fundraising prize bingo evenings are being held in aid of SURE over the weekend.

The first is tomorrow night (Friday) at Monkton Heathfield village hall and the second is at Creech St Michael village hall on Saturday night.

Eyes down is at 7.30pm on both evenings.

Donations for SURE can be sent to Eric Saffin, SURE, 19 Greenway, Monkton Heathfield, TA2 8NF.