A BARBECUE that bagged a sizzling £1,100 for Kemp Hospice's appeal has helped a retired nurse land a bottle of bubbly.

Avis Field, who organised the event for almost 100 people in Stourport earlier this month, is only the second person to be awarded with champagne from the Shuttle/Times and News and Sainsbury's Kidderminster as a thank-you for fund-raising efforts.

So far this year Mrs Field has pulled in more than £2,000 for the campaign to raise £2.2 million for a purpose-built hospice to open in 2004.

About £1,000 was handed over when entry fees to Stourport's Blackstone Nurseries - on land owned by Mrs Field - over a weekend in April were earmarked for the cause and more events are in the pipeline.

Cash was raised at the barbecue through a raffle supported by businesses in the town.

"It was a superb evening," said Mrs Field, 71, of Bewdley Road North. "A lot of people helped and I want them to know exactly how we did.

"Shops in Stourport were marvellous - they supplied us with some lovely prizes. And the first prize was a table made by Bill Jones whose garden we held it in."

She added: "I could force myself to have some champagne. It's got to be shared with many friends."

Mrs Field, who also works with patients at the hospice, has organised coffee mornings and raffles in the past to help it meet running costs and she is now an enthusiastic supporter of the appeal.

"I know what it's like in Kemp. Sometimes we need elastic walls as we just don't want to turn anyone away.

"To have a bedded unit where families can be with their loved ones to the end would be absolutely marvellous. I hope and pray I see it up and running.

"There aren't a lot of families that haven't been touched by cancer."