Actress Caroline Catz, who plays Louisa Glasson in the Doc Martin TV series, has given her support to the Looe-based charity Ellie's Haven.

Caroline has donated one of the wedding dresses specially made for her to wear in the ITV series, which is filmed in Port Isaac.

The dress comes from a previous series in 2011, when Louisa was left waiting at the altar by Doc Martin, played by Martin Clunes. In the first episode of the new series, which began this month, the couple finally managed to tie the knot!

The charity plans to auction the dress to raise funds towards the £220,000 needed for the building project at Ellie's Haven, near Duloe, to adapt a property into a holiday home for families with children suffering long-term and life-limiting illnesses.

The charity is named after Ellie Libby, who had a rare disorder which led to her death just before her seventh birthday. Ellie's parents, Nigel and Julie, founded the charity.

Julie met Caroline Catz by chance and told her about Ellie's Haven.

'I asked whether she would be willing to have her photo taken to show her support for the charity,' said Julie.

'She was so moved by our story that she offered to give Ellie's Haven one of the Doc Martin wedding dresses used in the last series.'

The dress was modelled for the first time at a charity fashion show in aid of Ellie's Haven, organised by the Mixtow and Lombard Ladies, at Whitecross Village Hall, Lanteglos by Fowey. The event raised £750.