VOLUNTEERS from a Southampton-based charity visited the city's Odeon cinema to say a big thank you to staff and customers for raising more than £6,000 for leukaemia research.

Odeon staff and volunteers from Leukaemia Busters were on hand for nearly three weeks to encourage cinema-goers to donate to the charity.

Prior to every film showing on seven of the Odeon's screens, a video was played featuring sports and TV personality Gary Lineker explaining the work of Leukaemia Busters.

Charity spokesman Nigel Impey said: "Once the auditorium had been encouraged to donate, Odeon staff and Leukaemia Busters volunteers distributed collecting buckets prior to the start of the film. A particularly keen member of the auditorium staff, Haydn, was the driving force behind the collections and after nearly three weeks, £6,240 was raised - more than £1,000 more than a similar collection held last year."

The money will go towards the charity's Cure for All Campaign, aimed at improving the cure rates for leukaemia and related conditions.

Donations can be made online at www.leukaemiabusters.org.uk or alternatively by post to Leukaemia Busters, c/o Southampton General Hospital, Southampton, SO16 6YD.