THE FINISHING touches are being applied as Tina Wellman-Hawke prepares to hold her last charity ball in memory of her late husband Dave.

Revellers at the Botleigh Grange Hotel in Hedge End tonight will be treated to a feast and entertainment from Mark Adams, who has just finished a national tour in Amore playing Dean Martin.

Her previous four charity balls have raised £100,000 for good causes in the name of the Dave Wellman Cancer Trust.

Driven by the need to create something positive out of the grim situation when Dave died from cancer, Tina put her emotions on hold and placed all her energy into raising money for Dave's charity.

But as she prepares to host the fifth event, she has revealed it will be her last.

Tina explained: "It has been a rollercoaster ride over the past eight years since Dave died.

"Looking back over what has been achieved, gives me a feeling of pride - and I know that Dave would be so pleased to see his name live on by raising money for patients."

Tina explained her second husband Tony was more than happy to take a back seat at the charity events but now she felt it was only fair that she should devote more time to him.

"I have been very fortunate to have met and married Tony.

"He has been a wonderful part of my life - he puts up with all my stresses in the lead-up to my bi-annual balls.

"Dave's worry when he died was that I would be on my own or would meet the wrong person but I am sure he sent Tony to me - he would be very happy with the way my life has panned out," she said.

The money raised by the balls has paid for a Dave Wellman lab at the Somers Cancer Sciences Building at Southampton General Hospital, as well as equipment such as freezers to hold biopsies and a centrifugal machine.

Funding has also gone to Wessex Cancer Trust - where Tina works as a press officer - and the money helps towards the running costs of Jane Scarth House.

"The support I have had from everyone has been simply amazing - without the help of everyone I never would have raised such an amazing amount," she said.

"This will be my last ball for the foreseeable future and I wanted to make it a special night.

"The Dave Wellman Cancer Trust will continue and donations will continue to fund the lab in Dave's name in the Somers Building."