CHERIE Blair's "lifestyle guru" Carole Caplin has become the new patron of the Willing Hands charity after a successful Ladies Evening at Bury Town Hall.

Carole, best known for her connections with the Prime Minister's wife Cheri Blair, was the special guest speaker at the event last Thursday (July 15) in the Elizabethan Suite.

The former model helped raise more than £1,700 for the Salford university-based Kid Scan, which carries out laboratory research into childhood cancers.

During the evening, Ms Caplin spoke about her experiences of being a guru and reasons for being a lifestyle coach, before answering questions from the 120 guests.

The event was organised by Willing Hands which raises funds for Kid Scan. Chairmans, Rosalind Shaw and Linda Merton, branded the night a success.

Mrs Shaw, of School Grove, Prestwich, said: "It was a really interesting evening and we had some excellent feedback from the guests. Carole was a lovely, sweet person who spent part of the evening walking around every table and chatting to guests while they ate their dinner. We would love to repeat the evening again, maybe in a year or two."

Mrs Merton, of Millom Drive, Unsworth, added: "Everyone had a good night and Carole's talk covered many topics. She even managed to pass over the awkward questions on the Blairs so she did not betray anyone's confidence."

The charity has now asked Ms Caplin to take on the role of patron which she immediately accepted.

Mrs Shaw said: "It is hoped that, in the future, she will come back over to hold some workshops. We are already making plans for her to return before the end of summer to visit the laboratories at Salford where the research takes place."