A COUPLE with first-hand experience of the trauma caused by cancer are using their culinary skills to raise £6,000 for two cancer charities.

Nelson Mansfield, of Westholme Road, Bidford, and girlfriend Hayley Loomes, of Alcester, have pledged to raise the money for Prostate Cancer and Breakthrough Breast Cancer by putting on gourmet dinners.

Mr Mansfield, who is training as a chef at Stratford Catering College, prepares the menus and Miss Loomes uses her waitress experience to serve dinner parties of 10 people.

The couple were inspired to raise money for the charities by Miss Loomes's mother Lynda, who was diagnosed with breast cancer six years ago, and Mr Mansfield's father Bob, who suffered prostate cancer 18 months ago.

Both parents had successful treatment programmes and Miss Loomes's mother has gone on to raise money for cancer charities, including £8,000 last year.

The first gourmet dinner was held at Mr Mansfield's house in April and the couple received help preparing the food from Stuart Holder, a trainee chef who is studying with Mr Mansfield.

"We have two choices for each course," Mr Mansfield said. "We decided not to have more than 10 people so we don't lose any quality, and we've got six or seven other dinners lined up already."

The menu included fennel and leek soup, cranberry and brie tartlet, mango and passion fruit sorbet, lemon chicken, roasted red peppers and baked chocolate cheesecake and vanilla panacotta.

The 10 people who attended the dinner helped to raise £250 towards the couple's target of raising £6,000 within 12 months.

Anyone interested in inviting the couple to prepare a gourmet dinner party to raise money for the charities can contact Mr Mansfield on 07736 741530.