HI-DE-HI star Su Pollard visited a Darlington charity shop yesterday to highlight its change of name.

National cancer charities Cancer Research Campaign and Imperial Cancer Research Fund have merged to become Cancer Research UK.

Miss Pollard, who is appearing in the Pirates of Penzance at the town's Civic Theatre, helped cut the ribbon at the High Row shop and praised the merger.

She said: "It is a fantastic thing to do. Now no one can be confused over the work the charity does for cancer research and patients.

"The majority of the public knows somebody with cancer or have had it themselves.

"I have also lost two or three dear friends to the disease.

"It is lovely that the public show the support that they do and long may it continue."

The two shops in Darlington town centre will continue to operate under the new name.

Ann Thompson, area manager for Cancer Research UK, said: "The merger means we can now do more to help cancer sufferers and enhance patient care."

Cancer Research UK is now the world's biggest independent research organisation.

Each year, its 3,000 researchers and doctors spend £130m on finding ways to cure and prevent cancer.