Last Saturday's event at the Crowne Plaza hotel, hosted by patron Sally McNair of the BBC, brought the committee's dream of raising £1million to the brink of reality.

Cancer research, equipment and research staff have all been funded over 16 years since White Lily was founded by a small band of local women including Angela Bruno, Colette Shevalne, Sylvana Conetta, Tish McGlennan and Margaret Barr.

Doctors Gerry Robertson of the Beatson, Douglas Hansell of Stobbhill and Hilary Dobson of the West of Scotland Breast Screening Clinic, whose departments have benefited from White Lily funding over the years, were again all present.

As ever a champagne reception got the night off to a sparkling start, followed at the start of the meal with elimination bingo for the star prize of a trip on the Orient Express and accommodation in a suite at a top class Parisian hotel.

The Parisian theme included an energetic can-can display by members of the Dan Serena dance school captured like all of the evening's highlights free of charge by Dwight Photography for the White Lily portfolio.

Once again the committee had secured fantastic items for auctioning including a trip to the Ryder Cup, gourmet nights at the much acclaimed Three Chimneys and Kinloch Lodge restaurants and an at home five-star meal for 10 by leading chef Steven Doherty and staff which alone made £3,500.

The Ryder Cup package, which included travel, three days play and four nights dinner, bed and breakfast at Celtic Manor raised £5,000 — then the generous bidder put it back for re-auctioning when again it raised a further £5,000.

On display throughout the evening was a shiny new Vauxhall Corsa generously donated by Ralph Halley which will be raffled at the final White Lily Ball in 2010.