Essex Patient Donates Prize Money

A cancer survivor from Essex who has been named as the UK's Queen of Chat will donate £1,000 of her prize money to the unit where she was treated.

Christine Taylor, 60, from Leigh-on-Sea, won the title from FirstCape Cafe Collection and was presented with her prize by singer and Strictly Come Dancing star Alesha Dixon (pictured).

In total, she won £2,000 prize money and a year's supply of FirstCape Cafe Collection wine.

Half the money will be donated to Southend Breast Unit where she was treated for cancer in 2000. She will use the remaining £1,000 to take her granddaughters on holiday.

Christine said: "I was told to enter by a friend who'd heard about the competition, as she thought I would be perfect for it. I'm so happy that I'm able to give back to the Southend Breast Unit, who saved my life, and that I'm going to be able to take my beautiful granddaughters on holiday."