WELL-CONNECTED luncheon club ladies have hit the internet with their latest charity raffle -- and pulled in a few expensive favours to provide the prizes.

The super fund-raisers from the Ribble Valley, who have raised more than £120,000 for cancer research in children in a little over two years, have come up with an exciting way to boost their coffers.

The Ribble Valley Ladies' Luncheon Club, together with the Cancer Research Campaign, have organised a phone and e-mail auction where people can bid for some staggering prizes at a fraction of their cost, and at the same time help a worthwhile charity treat sick children.

Some of the 'prizes' which are up for grabs include a Fiat Siecento valued at more than £7,000, donated by Walker Farrimond garage, a 10-day holiday for two in Quatar worth £5,000 and a luxury Caribbean celebrity cruise worth £3,525, both donated by Clitheroe Travel.

There is a diamond ring valued at £12,000, donated by Boodle and Dunthorn in London, a signed limited edition print of a painting by The Duchess of York and a signed football shirt from Manchester United star Phil Neville.

In addition, bidders can try for a laser session to eliminate wrinkles and worth £2,000, donated by a private clinic based at Royal Bolton Hospital.

Bargain hunters can bid for a prize by phoning the Cancer Research Campaign on 0161 772 5566, or by posting a bid via e-mail to the campaign on lfinnigan@crc.org.uk Details of the items up for grabs and the stages the bids are up to can be found on the Internet on the campaign's website, www.crc.org.uk .

Bidders can also request they be kept informed if their bids have been passed in case they wish to bid up, or give the organisers a ceiling limit of the price they are prepared to go up to. A meeting between the organisers has been held at the Stirk House Hotel, in Gisburn, which is run by luncheon club member Karen Weaving, to see how the fund-raising is going.

Treasurer of the Ribble Valley Ladies' luncheon Club, Dorothy Cosgrove, of Rimington, said the club was made up of enthusiastic ladies from all walks of life whose main aim was to see all childhood cancers successfully treated.

"Forty years ago a child who had cancer was not treated. Today more than 80 per cent are treated successfully. Our aim is to raise that figure to 100 per cent.

"We very much appreciate the generosity shown by all the companies who donated the prizes for our auction."

"It is a very exciting way of raising money and something which I believe is fairly unique. The Cancer Research Campaign certainly has not done anything like this before," said North West community fundraising organiser Denise Morgan.

The auction closes on April 27.