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A party to mark the official launch of the Argus Appeal 2002 has raised a staggering £38,000.

A host of celebrities including former EastEnders actresses Michelle Collins (Cindy Beale) and Carol Harrison (Louise Raymond), TV personality Lionel Blair, skating star Robin Cousins and TV newsreader Carol Barnes attended the event at the Hilton Brighton Metropole Hotel.

Guests were greeted with a champagne reception and joined in with seven hours of fund-raising events.

Much of the money was raised with a charity auction.

Among the prizes on offer were a holiday in the Maldives, which went for £2,600, a signed Brighton and Hove Albion football shirt, which went for £1,000 and a cruise down the Nile which went for £1,700.

Michelle Collins paid £1,500 to write a column in The Argus. She said: “I’m not sure what I’m going to write about but I’d like to come into the office for the day.”

Almost £3,000 was raised by three men, including Argus editor Simon Bradshaw, who had their heads shaved by Michelle and Carol.

Mr Bradshaw raised another £800 by offering to be a golf caddy for the day.

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