A RESTAURANT in Blackburn is hosting three special banquet evenings to kickstart a woman's bid to walk along the Great Wall of China for charity.

Tracy Reed, of Feniscowles, is co-hosting three fundraising Chinese banquets at Ming Fu's Cantonese Restaurant in Preston New Road. Then at the end of the month she will join a party of 18 women, including TV's Charlie Dimmock, on a six-day trek for Breakthrough Breast Cancer.

The banquets will be held on Tuesday, September 9, Thursday, September 11, and Thursday, September 18, at 7.30pm.

There will be hundreds of raffle prizes and a spectacular auction of celebrity items and music from local bands and singers.

The Mayor and Mayoress of Blackburn with Darwen, Coun Michael Barrett and Mrs Moira Barrett, will attend the first banquet to officially launch the events.

Tracy will join one of 22 groups of women taking part in the Women's Great Walk of China, which is taking place over six months and covers a distance of 4,000km.

For details, to book tickets at £15 each, or to offer raffle and auction prizes, call John Magee, event organiser, on 07788 111896, Tracy Reed 01254 200890, Ming Fu's on 07984 177238 or Ruth Loft 01254 262324.