TEN years ago, five mothers decided to hold a coffee morning at one of their homes near Banbury to raise money for Macmillan Cancer Care.

Now a decade later the event has grown into a shopping extravaganza attracting about 700 customers.

So far the annual shopping day has raised about £56,000 which has been donated to charities Macmillan Cancer Relief and Helen & Douglas House Hospice, in Oxford.

This year’s event is being staged at the Atrium at Whittlebury Park, near Towcester, for the fifth year running, and takes place on Thursday, September 23.

Friends Hilary Walton, Sam Satchell, Amanda Smith, Carolyn James, and Min Pumphrey have sent out thousands of invites and signed up about 60 traders.

Mrs Walton, from Whitfield, said: “This year visitors will find everything from gardening goods to gorgeous jewellery, socks to sportswear, toys to teenage gifts, books, with up to 75 per cent off,, beautiful homewares and much more.”

The shopping extravaganza runs from 9am to 4pm and entry costs £5.

For more information call Hilary Walton on 01280 851126 or email walton.hils@googlemail.com