CHARITY campaigners are celebrating after the Macmillan County Durham Appeal passed a major landmark.

The appeal - to boost the number of specialist Macmillan cancer doctors and nurses based in County Durham - has reached £100,000.

Since the high-profile launch at Auckland Castle, Bishop Auckland, three months ago, cash has been flowing into the appeal coffers.

Last night appeal spokeswoman Caroline Peacock said: "We can now announce that the appeal has broken through the £100,000 barrier. In fact, we made it just before Christmas."

Mrs Peacock said it was "hugely encouraging" to have made such progress so quickly.

The appeal - which is backed by The Northern Echo - was launched to try to build on the good work of existing Macmillan cancer nurses in County Durham.

Apart from increasing the number of specialist nurses from 18 to 20 the appeal is aiming to appoint a senior medical consultant who can help raise standards of palliative care across the whole county.

Palliative care consultants are experts in ensuring cancer patients have the best quality of care, including the most up-to-date pain control. If Macmillan can raise £600,000 the cash would cover salaries and other costs for three years, until the NHS took over funding.

So far the appeal organisers have held a choral concert and a brass band concert.

But the organisers have been impressed at the amount of money donated by individuals, families and grassroots organisations.

"When people lose a family member to cancer, one way of turning the grief into something a little more positive is to try to fund raise for other people who have the same illness. It is heart-warning," said Mrs Peacock. Locals at the Glendenning Arms in Witton Gilbert have just added to their previous donation of £472 - raised through a charity cricket match - by raising another £500 from a quiz night.

"They have decided that we are the campaign to support, we could really do with lots of other pubs and clubs adopting our cause," said Mrs Peacock. Just before Christmas Staindrop couple Sam and Doff Riddell gave more than £1,000 to the appeal by donating their diamond wedding gifts.

Appeal organisers are now trying to dream up fund-raising events for the coming year.

"We have a couple of ideas which involve North-East celebrities, " said Mrs Peacock.

For more information about the Macmillan County Durham Appeal ring (0191) 370 9798.