A TIRELESS charity supporter, who has overcome personal setbacks, has boosted a hospice appeal.

Lil Sowerby, backed by fellow members of the women's darts club and officials at Ushaw Moor Catholic Club, County Durham, organised fashion and variety shows.

The events at the club raised £1,766, which was presented to St Cuthbert's Hospice, in Durham, yesterday.

Mrs Sowerby, a former district nurse, has supported the hospice since it opened in 1988. She overcame breast cancer after radiotherapy in 1996, and earned an MBE for services to the community in the New Year's Honours in 2000.

Mrs Sowerby said she was starting to come to terms with the loss of her husband, Brian, who died a year ago after being diagnosed with lung and liver cancer, and said the events were in his memory.

"We've had great support in the village and the surrounding area, and we hope the recent shows will more or less become yearly events," said Mrs Sowerby.

She thanked her local darts club and the Durham and District Ladies' team, club secretary Kevin McMahon, and Ian Symonds, a theatrical agent from Hebburn, South Tyneside, who provided acts for the variety show.

The money will go towards the hospice's appeal to provide in-patient facilities on site, at its Park House premises in the Merryoaks area of the city.