Real Housewives of Cheshire star Dawn Ward opened her home for a Christmas charity ladies lunch.

Former model Dawn, who runs a property and interiors empire, decided to throw the charity lunch at her Alderley Edge home, Walford Hall, after being moved by the plight of a Bolton mum with terminal cancer who is hoping to raise funds for potentially life-saving treatment abroad.

Mum-of-three Polly Haydock was diagnosed with bowel cancer a year ago, but the cancer has since spread to her lymph nodes, liver and lungs and has been told by specialists she may have only months to live without further chemotherapy and radiotherapy.

After researching alternative treatments, Polly has found clinics in Germany that offer immunotherapy, which is not available on the NHS, but the treatment is going to cost upwards of £400,000.

Charity organisers privately messaged Dawn to ask if she would support the appeal at a family fundraiser at a Bolton pub a couple of weeks ago.

Dawn said: “It really touched me as I’m a mum of four children myself, and no one wants to leave their children behind.

“When organisers got in touch and asked if I would support the fundraiser I said yes, but the family couldn’t believe it when I walked in to the pub! After that I thought I could do my own bit to help so I decided to organise my own Christmas lunch.”

Seema Malhora and Lauren Simon

Dawn's fellow housewives Tanya Bardsley, Lauren Simon, Seema Malhorta and Misse Bequiri attended the glitzy do and donated raffle prizes including a £500 voucher for Seema’s Forever Unique fashion label, a bottle of Lauren's new perfume and Tanya donating her own-brand jewellery.

Following the raffle Dawn decided to auction off the chance for a girlie lunch in Cheshire with herself and Misse Bequiri which raised £1500.

Seema Malhorta, Dawn Ward and Misse Bequiri

Glamorous Dawn, who has created homes for the rich and famous, cleared out her home gym to become a grand dining hall for the occasion, with her ex-footballer husband Ashley and elder daughters Taylor and Darby helping out to get everything ready.

She laughed: “I was quite impressed actually with the results, although I definitely won’t be going into event organising, it’s such hard work!

“Me and Ashley and the girls were all putting the table decorations together and dashing out to get Christmas crackers, but it was all really good on the day.”

Entertainment was provided by Dawn's daughter Darby who sang a number of festive songs.

Dawn recently launched her own Skulpt beauty salon in the grounds of her Cheshire home, which was featured on the last series of the Real Housewives of Cheshire on ITVBe.

Dawn Ward at her Skulpt beauty clinic at Warford Hall

Dawn and her family will be spending Christmas at home in Cheshire, and it will be a traditional festive lunch.

Dawn adds: “It will be Christmas jumpers all round - even for the dogs!”

You can donate to Polly's Fund here: www.gofundme.com