A regional daily which launched a £1m cancer appeal has hit its target after two years.

The Telegraph & Argus launched its Bradford Crocus Cancer Appeal in May 2013 to raise funds for a cutting-edge machine to speed up research into the disease.

The success of the campaign has allowed the University of Bradford to buy a proteomics mass spectrometer, which is now being installed at its Institute of Cancer Therapeutics.

It will allow researchers to analyse proteins in cancer cells at a much quicker rate, so improving opportunities for the development of new cancer medicines.

The newspaper’s appeal was launched in partnership with the university, Yorkshire Cancer Research and the Sovereign Health Care Charitable Trust.

The appeal also received support from the Gannett Foundation, run by the parent company of the Newsquest-owned title, which donated £20,000 towards it.

In a story about the success of the appeal, editor Perry Austin-Clarke said: “This is a truly fantastic achievement by the T&A’s readers and, on behalf of the appeal, I would like to thank and congratulate each and every person who fund-raised or made a donation for their amazing support.

“The success of the appeal not only demonstrates yet again the fantastic generosity of our readers, but also the tremendous commitment we have in Bradford and district to beating cancer, from the “Bradford Can….” appeal which established the University’s cancer research chair, to the brilliant “smart bomb” breakthrough of Professor Patterson and his team, to the purchase of this equipment more than a dozen years later which will help carry that battle to new heights in the future.

“Well done, Bradford. We should all be very proud.”

The newspaper’s appeal followed on from its previous Bradford Can… appeal which raised £1m in the 16 months up to February 2003 towards building the university’s state-of-the-art Institute of Cancer Therapeutics.

The research carried out there led to scientists revealing a pioneering “smart bomb” tumour-blasting treatment in 2011.

Professor Richard Greene, dean of the Faculty of Life Sciences at the University of Bradford, said: “The Crocus Appeal has been a tremendous success, and I would like to thank everybody who was involved, including our partners, the businesses, organisations and communities of Bradford, as well as benefactors from further afield, and the worldwide network of Bradford University alumni.

“Their generosity has ensured that scientists at the university are now in an even better position to conduct world-leading research in the area of proteomics, and use that new knowledge to help develop new anti-cancer medicines.”

The campaign was called the Crocus Cancer Appeal because the flower became a symbol of the ICT’s success after its smart bomb treatment was derived from colchicine, a natural compound found in the plant.