GLAMOROUS guests dressed to the nines for a masquerade ball which raised more than £15,000 for charity.

A four-star hotel near Maldon hosted the charity ball to raise vital funds for East Anglia’s Children’s Hospices (EACH).

A total of 200 people attended the glitzy event at the Five Lakes Resort, in Tolleshunt Knights, on Saturday.

Among the attendees was celebrity guest Thomas Skinner, of Apprentice and Celebrity Masterchef UK fame, who hosted.

Highlights included an auction and raffle, in which the top prize was a holiday to Cape Verde.

Organiser Vicky Hicks decided she wanted to do the charity ball back in 2019 - but it was postponed from last year because of coronavirus.

Read more: Mask up for charity ball which aims to raise £10k for a children's hospice

The event hit Vicky's target out the park as more than £15,000 was raised.

She said: “My target had been to raise £10,000 so I was absolutely thrilled to see the total creep past £15,000.

“It was a brilliant night and everyone had such a lovely time.

“The generosity of small local businesses was amazing and meant we could keep costs down. All our decor was provided by I Do We Do Weddings and Events, our live music was provided by local band KIO and WebPhotoUK were there all night taking professional photos for people to buy.

“In a way, having to postpone things last year made it extra special because this was the first time people had had the chance to get glammed up and wear special clothes. Everyone was in very high spirits.

“Most of the people there were friends and family but I also put a message on social media and a group bought a table after spotting it on Facebook.”

Around £5,000 was raised from corporate fundraising with the help of Vicky's colleagues from BT.

Hundreds of the big-hearted staff paid and signed up to take part in a 10k walk.

“Everyone was asked to offer something that could be donated and bought by someone else. For instance, I offered to make someone a lasagne,” Vicky added.

The 32-year-old mum from Colchester said she was motivated to help EACH after a visit to The Treehouse hospice.

“I’m a senior manager at BT, it's a very demanding job and I wanted to get involved in something that wasn't work-related, where I could give back in some way.

“So a couple of years ago I went along to an open day at The Treehouse, near where I work in Ipswich.

“I was so moved by what I saw and it was very humbling, which is why I was so motivated to try and do something to help. That’s when this ball became my vision.”

EACH cares for children and young people with life-threatening conditions across Essex, Cambridgeshire, Norfolk and Suffolk.