THE DIARY

DIANNE BOURNE & KATIE FITZPATRICK WITH ALL THE INSIDE STORIES

HSOAP stars sparkled as they attended the annual Christie fundraising ball on Saturday night.

Famous faces from Coronation Street and Hollyoaks gathered for the star-studded event at the Principal Hotel in Manchester, and they had flashbulbs popping with their glam outfits as they arrived for the ball.

Corrie’s Dolly-Rose Campbell walked the red carpet fresh from the drama of her character Gemma Winter’s steamy scenes with Tyrone Dobbs on Friday night, alongside Victoria Ekanoye who plays Angie Appleton. Haiesha Mistry, Lysette Anthony, Sophie Porley, Nathan Morris and David Kennedy headed from the Chesterbased Channel Four soap Hollyoaks for the sparkling event, and former The Real Housewives of Leanne Brown wowed in red.

Happy Mondays singer Rowetta Satchell and Early Doors actors John Henshaw and James Quinn were also among the VIP guests.

The ball raised £155,000 which will go towards the development of a state-of-the-art research centre to replace the Paterson building at The Christie that was severely damaged by fire last year.

Living Ventures and the Tim Bacon Foundation, in memory of the Living Ventures restaurant group chairman and co-founder, announced at the ball that they were donating £500,000 to The Christie.

Professor Robert Bristow, chief academic officer and honorary consultant in clinical oncology at The Christie and director of the Manchester Cancer Research Centre, said: “The fire was devastating for The Christie and its partners but from chaos comes opportunity and we now plan to create a better building than we ever imagined before.

“The fundraising that goes towards this is driving forward the creation of a brand new building that will bustle with scientists, researchers and consultants whose work will directly affect cancer patients.”

Singer Lemar headlined the fundraising ball which was hosted by TV presenter Naga Munchetty.