A MULBERRY handbag has helped raise hundreds of pounds for a Taunton-based cancer charity.

The bag brought in £400 for the Somerset Unit for Radiotherapy Unit (SURE) after it was raffled by Capella Rew and Danny Meakin.

Other donations for County Gazette-backed SURE, which equips the Beacon Centre at Musgrove Park Hospital, included £300 from John and Jenny Wright, of Wadeford, and the Rotary Club of Chard raised by raffling a hamper and other prizes at Christmas.

There was £260 from a Words and Music for Christmas evening at St John's Parish Church, Hatch Beauchamp, and £70 from Quantock Vale Surgery. Bishops Lydeard, from selling festive decorations.

Donations in 5p coins were £180 from North Petherton WI; £40 from the people of Porlock; £43.25 from Taunton Hard of Hearing Club; £1.35 from the children at Kingston School; £5.60 from Chris Hooper; £9.50 from Val and friends from Westonzoyland; and £15.10 from Dennis Emmett, of North Petherton.

The £39.45 from Mrs J. E. Penn included £4.45 in 5ps and £215 from the Beacon Centre was mostly in 5ps.

Collection pots totalled £49.42 at Tesco Express, Comeytrowe; £22.95 from the One Stop Shop, Galmington; £109.16 from Tesco Express, East Reach; £8.09 from the Crusty Cob, Burnham-on-Sea; £7.68 from Burnham Fish and Chip shop; and £16.14 from Hurleys Newsagents, Burnham.

The weekly total of £1,792.69 means £841,811.28 has been raised for SURE since it linked up with the County Gazette.