A BIRTHDAY party with a difference has raised more than £1,500 for a cancer charity.

George Wilkinson asked guests to his 60th birthday party to give donations to the local branch of Breast Cancer Care instead of buying presents.

The 110 friends and family who attended the celebration, held at the parish hall in Sedgefield last week, were in a generous mood, raising £770.

That figure has since been matched by Barclays Bank, with the help of family friend Joyce Davison, a former employee of the bank.

George and his wife, Eileen, decided to raise money for charity after two friends of the family were diagnosed with cancer.

"I didn't need all those presents," said Mr Wilkinson.

"I'm the type of guy that, as long as my wife, my son and my family are well, then I'm happy. It saved people having to worry about what to get me too."

Mrs Wilkinson said: "We've got two friends who have been affected by the disease and are undergoing treatment with South Tees NHS Trust, so we thought we would raise money for something local."

Guests enjoyed a buffet, music and dancing, before Mr Wilkinson performed with his cabaret band, the New Yorkers.