A BOLTON Breast Unit has benefited from £800, thanks to the kindness of a well-loved dance teacher who died in March.

Ron Smith, who suffered a heart attack at the age of 67, ran dances for several years with his partner, Anne Worsley .

The money was collected over the years by the people who came, including Wilf and Nora Broadbent, who gave £210 in lieu of presents for their golden wedding anniversary.

The remaining £590 was collected by The Rowan Sequence Dancers who held raffles, with prizes donated by the dancers and collected pennies in a jar.

Ron, who was living in Halliwell at the time of his death, chose the unit at Royal Bolton Hospital to be the recipient, as the couple knew people suffering from breast cancer.

The money was handed over to breast care specialist nurse Helen Farrell at a presentation at the unit held in Ron Smith's honour.

Anne, his partner of 12 years, said: "Ron ran two dance classes, one on Tuesday afternoon at Tottington Road Methodist Church and one on Thursday afternoon at the Theatre Church in Astley Bridge.

"He was well known and a real extrovert. He ran dances for more than 20 years and people continue to phone me to say how much they miss him.

"He would have been thrilled to bits with the amount of money that was raised. It is marvellous."