AN Antiques Roadshow in Edgworth is due to boost a charity that has already raised millions for the Christie Hospital.

It is 25 years since the intrepid Lancashire journalist and cancer sufferer Pat Seed founded her famous appeal fund.

Since that time -- and aided by many people in the Bolton and Bury area -- it has raised an astounding £8.5 million pounds to provide state of the art technology to maintain the famous Manchester hospital's leading role in the diagnosis and treatment of cancers.

To mark this milestone, local members of the Pat Seed Appeal Fund are to hold an Antiques Roadshow style event at the Barlow Institute, Edgworth on Wednesday, September 25. Valuers from Sotheby's will be on hand in an advisory capacity.

It has been organised by Mrs Kathleen Scarlin, of Walshaw, Bury, who knew Pat personally.

Visitors can take along their antiques (Sotheby's suggest photographs of larger items like furniture) to find out about them as well as their possible value, while contributing to a worthwhile cause.

There will be a ceramics and oriental items valuer, a picture valuer, a general valuer covering furniture, European works of art and collectors' items plus a jewellery expert.

Pat Seed became a patient at the Christie in Spring of 1976 and she was expected to have just a few months to live.

The disease, however, hadn't reckoned on her tenacity once she had decided to set up her fund and she lived for another eight years with the help of treatment.

The illness finally claimed her just a few weeks after the death of her beloved husband, Geoffrey, who died in the Abbystead Pumping Station disaster.

While she was a patient, she heard of the CT scanner, a machine which could see far more than the human eye in surgery -- but a machine Christie's doctor's were unable to afford for a further five years. On discovering the hospital was not allowed to appeal for help for such a machine, Pat -- through her local MP Sir Walter Clegg and Roland Moyle, the then Minister for Health -- had an amendment made to the 1948 Health Act which enabled hospitals to appeal for funds.

Pat set up her own fund in March, 1977 and lived to see the CT scanner installed in a purpose-built department at the Christie.

Since her death in 1984 the fund has continued, headed by Pauline Heaton of Preston, Pat's former secretary, who, together with Pat's many friends and supporters throughout the North-west has continued the good work.

The antiques day at Edgworth is just one of a range of events to be held throughout the year of the fund's 25th birthday.

The event runs from10am until 3pm, with entrance costing £2.50 which includes the valuation and advice on two items with further items costing £1 each.