A businessman hopes to bolster a charity appeal by £30,000 by asking supporters to celebrate the festival of love.

Balbir Panesar, chief of PEC Building Services in Commondale Way, Bradford, is urging people to put on their dancing shoes for a Valentine ball in aid of Bradford Cancer Support (BCS).

Profits from the dinner and dance will raise cash for the Daisy Appeal - a BCS project aiming to raise £1.1million to build a new all-purpose base.

Already £602,000 has been raised and campaigners hope to find the rest of the money as soon as possible.

Mr Panesar, whose company has already raised £330 for the appeal through a Christmas raffle, said he hoped the ball would boost the figure significantly.

"Some of my contacts have pledged money, which will help towards it," he said "Sales of the tickets, auctioning items and the brochure we are doing with advertising, all together should at least bring £30,000, if not more."

Mr Panesar decided to offer support to BCS when the appeal contacted him last year.

"Everybody in some way or another is involved with people who have been affected by cancer. I have a least two employees at work who have had serious problems with cancer, in my family I have members who have been affected by cancer," he said.

Since then Mr Panesar, who became a charity patron, has been asked to be a member of the Daisy Appeal committee.

"I was very pleased to be asked, I was very happy to do something for people in Bradford," he said.

Mr Panesar expects this year's ball, which will take place at the Hilton Hotel, Hall Ings, Bradford, at 7pm on February 9, to be fully booked.

Those attending the glittering event will enjoy a five-course meal organised by the Aagrah group of restaurants. A raffle and dance will also take place.

Tickets cost £50 and can be booked by calling Natalie Sykes on (01274) 686668.