AN audience of more than 200 was at Liskeard Public Hall on Saturday for the first fundraising event for a new charity, Erin's Fund for Life.

Since being launched only three weeks ago, the charity has already raised in excess of £17,000.

More than 60 local performers took to the stage for the Entertainment Extravaganza, which lasted for four hours, the audience thoroughly enjoying the line-up of acts from the worlds of comedy, music, song and dance.

Erin's Fund for Life has been set up initially to help six-year-old Erin Lewsey, of Liskeard, who has been fighting cancer for the past 20 months.

Her family is now seeking out treatments which might only be available abroad and be costly. However, there is also a long-term aim to help other children and families in the South West hit by childhood cancer, and also the charities which have helped Erin. They are CLIC Sargent and Derriford Children's Cancer Service.

The evening began with a personal word from Erin's mum, Esther Hall, who in thanking the event organisers, gave a moving account of Erin's story to date.

She thanked family and friends and the community for taking Erin to their hearts. She said the family had been 'blown away' by the overwhelming generosity, love and support they had been receiving.

The entertainment was hosted by the event's organiser, Nic Early, and co-presenter Bronwen Davey.

Among those taking to the stage were: Rock band The Veins, Sterts Singers, Cornwall Youth Dance, singer/songwriter Emma Ronchetti, harpist Anne Hughes, violinist Ele Waters, cellist Eleanor Toms, pianists Mark Smith and Jane Warwick, soloists Evie Hidderley, Lydia Edge, Olivia Early, Eleanor Toms and Colin Davey, dance from students of City College Plymouth, Olivia Early and Molly Howe, and comedy from Dorothy Bricknell, Roman Bloodworth, Jeremy Stevenson, Peter Dann and Nic Early.

A further 15 people worked behind the scenes at the extravaganza.