WHEN TV comedy star James Dreyfus offered to do all he could to help the adult leukaemia fund at Manchester's Christie Hospital, fundraiser and bone marrow transplant patient Mick Baines though it too good an opportunity to miss.

So Mick and wife Julia, of Abbey Village, Chorley, invited the star of "Thin Blue Line" and "Gimme, Gimme, Gimme" to be the special guest at an auction of over 700 celebrity autographs at Botany Bay.

And the collection, including the signatures of James himself, world golf champion Tiger Woods, David Beckham, "Posh Spice" Victoria Beckham and Harry Potter creator JK Rowling has raised over £2,000 for the adult leukaemia fund at The Christie Hospital, where Mick was a patient.

Former Hyndburn policeman Mick was diagnosed with leukaemia in 1997 after he went to the doctor with a swelling in his stomach.

He finally had his bone marrow transplant on November 27 last year and is currently in remission, having to visit Christie's Hospital in Manchester once a month.

Mick wrote off to 1,500 celebrities asking for their autographs for the event and received more than 700 back.

Mick said: "We got a lovely letter back from James with his autograph saying if he could help in any way to let him know, so we wrote back and asked him to be the special guest at the event.

"He said he'd love to come, so we arranged it on a day suitable for both of us." He added: "We are very grateful to him for his support and to Botany Bay for letting us use the room for free."

Speaking at the event, James said: "I'm absolutely delighted to have been of some help. We have been planning this day for quite a while, so it was wonderful to have met Mick and Julia at last."

And Mick's doctors from Christie Hospital, James Chang and Raj Chopra also went along to add their support.

Botany Bay was inundated with calls prior to the event from people asking how they could pay on the day, with a bid of £255 put in for the framed Tiger Woods picture and autograph in advance -- which was also the highest bid on the day.

Over 600 pre-priced autographs were available for sale throughout the day, with the top 100 auctioned off by Wilf Mould from Smith and Hodgkinson auctioneers.

Other celebrity signatures included those of Luciano Pavarotti, William Shatner, Guy Ritchie, Kate Winslet, Steps, Paul Hogan, Sting, Frankie Dettori and Leonardo di Caprio.

Mick said: "It was quite a job sending off 1,500 letters, but we'd like to thank Nigel Womack from Nigel's Cutting Shop, in Town Hall Street, Blackburn, who donated £120 towards the postage."

The Christie Hospital also had a stall at the event, selling cuddly toys, pens, and stationary, plus a raffle, with first prize of a children's miniature JCB worth £100.

Since discovering he had leukaemia, Mick has had to quit his job as a security guard at Express Gifts, but has also embarked on a massive fundraising drive for the Anthony Nolan Bone Marrow Trust, raising over £10,000.