A WRITER who has provided entertainment to hundreds of people has opened her heart on her battle to beat breast cancer - and earned £1,000 for East Lancashire's SuperScan appeal.

Benita Moore, 59, has already undergone a double mastectomy and is now having chemotherapy to treat the killer disease.

And her personal diary depicting her harrowing battle against the illness is to be buried in a time capsule, after she won a regional competition organised by Royal Mail.

The contest asked people for ideas to portray contemporary life which would be buried in the capsule at Royal Mail's new rail terminal in Warrington.

Mrs Moore suggested burying her own day-to-day log of her life and a natural history diary of local and national events.

She has agreed to donate her £1,000 prize to the Lancashire SuperScan appeal - a cause which has become close to her heart since she contracted her illness.

Mrs Moore, of Rising Bridge Road, Haslingden, has had two operations since her cancer was diagnosed. She underwent a course of radiotherapy at the Christie Hospital, Manchester, and is now having chemotherapy.

She said: "There is a lot of uncertainty and fear with this disease and if there is the extra equipment in Blackburn (the MRI scanner) then I am anxious to help.

"The doctors have not really said anything about my prognosis. The disease can come back at any time. You just have to get on with life and do the best you can. "I called my idea for the time capsule a 'A Woman's Journal' and combined my own feelings with cuttings of recent events from the General Election to the cloning of Dolly the sheep. Hopefully, future generations would find it interesting and appreciate what life was like in the North West."

Mrs Moore, a keen historian, has been a local studies librarian in Accrington for more than 40 years and has continued to work during her illness.

She has written several books which take a witty look back at life in East Lancashire.

The time capsule will be buried at a private ceremony next week and Mrs Moore will be invited to unveil a plaque at an official function early next year.

A Royal Mail spokeswoman said: "Mrs Moore's entry was unique and was definitely something special. The judges thought it was a perfect representation of the present day, because it detailed both local and national events."

The new terminal in Warrington will allow Royal Mail to use its own trains to ferry letters around the country by linking up with the rail distribution network.

SuperScan appeal chairman Mike Trickett, said: "It is a lovely touch by Mrs Moore and we are most grateful."

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