A CHESTER lawyer raised £7,000 for Claire House Children’s Hospice by hosting a charity masquerade ball and running her first London Marathon.

Helen Watson, head of employment law at Aaron & Partners LLP on Grosvenor Court, Foregate Street, hosted the masquerade ball at Doubletree by Hilton in Hoole last month, before completing the 26-mile run in four hours and 33 minutes.

Highlights at the ball included a charity auction and raffle. Luxury holidays and signed Manchester United shirts were among the prizes.

A total of £9,588 was raised with £7,000 going to the Wirral-based hospice and the remaining money being donated to Action for Charity.

Helen now plans to cycle across Kenya in November in aid of Action for Charity.

Helen said: “As a trustee of Claire House I was delighted to be able to raise such a great sum of money from our masquerade ball.

“Thanks must be passed to all those who both generously donated prizes and bid for them on the night. I look forward to planning more fundraising activities to help support the marvellous work that Claire House undertakes.”