A SPORTING legend and the Mayor of Worcester helped shift more than 1,000 pink bags as they did their bit to create a new breast care unit.

Queues formed as shoppers waited to have the Bags for Life signed by former England and Worcestershire cricketer Graeme Hick at Tesco in Warndon Villages in Worcester on Thursday.

The launch was in aid of the Worcestershire Breast Unit Campaign to create a new unit at Newtown Road, Worcester, the adopted campaign of your Worcester News.

The launch took place at five Tesco stores across the county, including city stores in Warndon and St Peter’s and at Evesham, Redditch and Kidderminster.

Mr Hick, who is lead patron of the charity, hopes the campaign can reach its £2.5 million target with the bags. The campaign follows a successful appeal last year which included calendars showing tasteful but revealing pictures of breast cancer survivors and other people involved in the campaign.

About 1,200 bags were sold on Thursday, raising about £1,100. The sales continued yesterday with 700 bags sold in the Worcester stores and via the campaign office.

Worcester’s Mayor, Coun Andy Roberts, pledged his support for the campaign at Tesco in St Peter’s on the opening night.

Organisers hope the bag promotion will raise £50,000 for the campaign.

The launch of the pink juco bag at Warndon was such a success that stocks are already running low. Carole Crowe, campaign co-ordinator, said: “We are grateful to everyone who turned up to be among the first to buy one of our Bags for Life. About 1,200 bags were sold in just a couple of hours last night. This bag is rapidly turning into the latest fashion accessory to be seen with. I would also like to thank Tesco and JuteXPO staff for the hard work and effort they have committed to this project.”

Adam Kirk, manager at Tesco Warndon Villages, said “We were keen to be involved in this project to help raise funds for the campaign. As well as raising awareness of breast cancer, it also helps our efforts to support climate change by encouraging our customers to reduce their use of plastic bags.”

The bags cost £2.50 but some of that money has to go on VAT and on covering the production cost of the bags.

For more information about the campaign, log onto every bodyknowssomebody.co.uk.