When 59-year-old Victoria Fletcher was diagnosed with cancer for the second time, it was staff at the Churchill Hospital and Macmillan nurses who helped her pull through.

And to say thank you she has raised more than £1,000 for the two organisations by holding a Country and Western music night.

Mrs Fletcher, of Quarry Road, Witney, first survived cancer 30 years ago.

But she was recently diagnosed with breast cancer and admitted to the Churchill Hospital in Oxford where she underwent surgery.

After returning home, local Macmillan Cancer Support nurses paid regular visits to aid her recovery.

Mrs Fletcher said: "I wanted to say thank you to the hospital and the Macmillan nurses who came to my home.

"I wanted to do something in return to say a big thank you, because every family has had someone who has had cancer.

Mrs Fletcher, who is retired and has one daughter, said the second diagnoses had been very difficult to deal with.

She said: "I was devastated afterwards. I was having a job to cope. Without the cancer care unit at the hospital and the Macmillan nurses I don't know what I would have done."

Mrs Fletcher raised the money at a special Country and Western night, held at the Dumbleton Club, in Worcestershire, which she has been attending for years.

She raised a total of £1,160 through a raffle and charity auction and intends to split the money between the two organ- isations.

Jo Faulkner-Harvey, the Oxfordshire fundraising manager for Macmillan Cancer Support, said: "We're always extremely grateful when people like Victoria Fletcher choose to support Macmillan.

"There's a lot of work that goes into organising an event such as this, and the hard work and commitment enables us to continue funding vital cancer services to benefit local people living with cancer."

The ward sister of the Jane Ashley Unit at the Churchill Hospital, Kate Smith, said: "It's always very humbling when patients are so appreciative of the care on the ward. We're always pleased to receive any donation. Victoria has obviously put a lot of effort into raising this money for the unit, which will be put to good use."