CHARITY fundraisers went head-to-head in front of the TV cameras as they tried to muster as much cash as possible for their cause.

Representatives of the WGC-based Isabel Hospice competed against counterparts from Essex Air Ambulance on Friday night.

They were being filmed for ITV show Auction Party, hosted by Changing Rooms’ flamboyant interior designer, Laurence Llewelyn-Bowen.

We won’t spoil it for readers/viewers by revealing the result – you can watch the show when it airs in the new year – but we will say the charity auction was a close-run thing, and went down to the final lots.

The Isabel Hospice team chose to take part in memory of Kate Pratt, who spent her last hours, aged just 37, at the hospice in February this year.

Kate’s mum Marian Nicholls, who lives in Cuffley, was one of the fundraisers, along with Shirley Storey, Sarah-Jane Hegerty, Carol Howard and Jilly Murray.

A spokeswoman said: “Along with lots and lots of help from family and friends, they collected, donated, begged, and borrowed an amazing array of fabulous items which were auctioned by the very lovely Laurence Llewelyn-Bowen.

“He also signed lots of great gifts from his interior design range stocked in Matalan, which were kindly donated by the Hertford store.”

Lisa Seccombe, director of fundraising at Isabel Hospice, said “Both charities were the winners as we both work to serve our local communities to the best of our abilities, and could not do so without the amazing support from them.

“We want to thank Shirley and her team for giving up their lives to the TV cameras for the last few weeks, as they filmed them in their homes, out gathering their auction lots and of course during the nail-biting final auction.”