WITH 457 guests in attendance a night of glamour, fine food, music and dance as well as some fun and games was enjoyed by all who attended Ilkley Candlelighter's High Society May Ball.

The Rudding Park Hotel in Harrogate produced a beautiful environment and guests from Yorkshire businesses and people from Ilkley and beyond were greeted with a champagne reception whilst being serenaded by the band Sassy Sax.

They were enthusiastically persuaded to part with their money by buying tickets for the Top Hat Draw, where all the prizes were generously donated by Ilkley and Yorkshire businesses in support of children's cancer services.

Prior to the dinner there was a short talk by Yorke Eaton, a patient trustee and a local solicitor, on the services that Ilkley Candlelighters help provide to try to ease the lives of children diagnosed with cancer and their families in Yorkshire.

To date the Candlelighters fundraising has provided comfortable chair beds for parents spending night and day at their children's bedside, kitchens and accommodation, play therapists, a pool table for the teens, computer games, counselling for all the family, breaks away and money for vital research in a bid to try and eradicate childhood cancer. Yorke spoke from the heart about his firsthand experience of being a patient and benefitting from some of these 'extras' our wonderful NHS is unable to provide.

After a superb three course meal and coffee provided by the kitchens at Rudding Park, guests furiously bid for an array of excellent prizes, such as London theatre tickets and accommodation and precious jewels, all superbly overseen by Jon Hammond MC. Once again prizes were donated by a variety of businesses, local and countrywide.

After dinner entertainment was provided by Gary Grace and his superb band and the dance floor remained packed all night. For those seeking alternatives, there was a casino using monopoly money run by the Rotary Club and a Games room provided by AR Entertainment where guests could have a race on the giant six lane Scalextric, indulge in laser shooting and much more.

The committee of Ilkley Candlelighters would like to extend their heartfelt thanks to all who supported and attended this year's Ball. An enormous £38,000 was raised on the night.

For further information on future events or to register interest for next year's Ball as a sponsor, prize giver, to register an interest in a table, or to make a donation, visit ilkleycandlelighters.org.uk.