A SPOOKY Hallowe'en gala held at Southampton Football Club is set to raise more than £40,000 for vital research into diabetes.

About 200 people attended the black-tie affair in aid of the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation (JDRF), the first gala evening the charity has organised on the south coast.

A giant inflatable spider greeted guests on arrival at St Mary's Stadium's Mick Channon Suite before they all sat down to delights such as blood-curdling soup, bug bogey pudding, witches' brew and minted bat droppings.

Pumpkin lanterns on every table helped add to the spooky theme.

JDRF supporters were kept entertained by the Michelmersh Silver Band and The Zodiacs, made up from staff at Swaythling's Ford plant.

But the real star of the night was 15-year-old vocalist Olivia Thomas, who performed two

solo numbers before the evening's auction started. Atherley School pupil Olivia, from Michelmersh, has been an insulin-dependent diabetic since the age of 12.

Guests were also kept entertained with tarot card readers, mediums, casino tables, a silent auction and a raffle.

Items that went under the hammer on the night to help JDRF funds included a signed 2004 NatWest Series cricket bat

and a flight in a 1940s Tiger Moth.

Organiser Jayne Ashley, JDRF's regional development manager, said: "We have had a tremendous response from the local community in support of this event.

"Many local companies took tables on the night and we received some absolutely stunning gifts for our auction."

All proceeds from the gala will go towards JDRF's work, funding research to find a cure for type one diabetes and its complications.