WEDDING events specialist Anita McKay has launched a new business as well as raising more than £10,000 for charity.

Mrs McKay has opened The Wedding Box in the attic of 597A Chorley Old Road, Heaton, and the business forms an essential part of her Event Planning Services Bolton (www.epsbolton.co.uk) enterprise.

She recently hosted an opening event for neighbouring businesses and residents, which featured acoustic artist Tommy Govan and toastmaster Derek Timmins Jones.

But she and her “Ironman” husband Jimmy, aged 41, have also found time to organise a glittering “Sporting Soul” event at the Bolton Whites Hotel in aid of Derian House children’s hospice.

Thirty-seven-year-old Mrs McKay, a former pupil of Withins High School, has meanwhile launched a business model aimed at helping couples on their way towards a perfect wedding day.

“The idea is that we create a wedding box for them, which includes services like photography, venue dressing and flowers,” said Mrs McKay.

“It can be as much or as little as they need.

“I tend to find a lot of brides-to-be set off okay, then realise what a big job planning a wedding is.

“I can help them because I do wedding fairs all over Bolton, and I know what is involved.”

Launching the business was the ideal thing for the McKays who renewed their wedding vows after 17 years of marriage in December, 2013.

And Mr McKay was in the perfect position to help his wife with the charity event, as he is the gym manager at Bolton Whites Hotel.

He has competed in each Ironman event in Bolton since 2012.

Meanwhile, Mrs McKay has wedding fair events lined up for the new year.

On January 18 there is one at the Holiday Inn, Bolton, and on February 1 another goes ahead at Bolton Whites Hotel, which is also the venue for the following wedding fair on June 14.

The event switches back to the Holiday Inn on June 28. All the events are between noon and 4pm with models on the catwalk in wedding outfits from 2pm.