Rock star Plant's appeal boost

He was among enthusiastic bidders at a fundraising auction for the Jackie Jennings Appeal.

The event, held at Wolverley Village Hall at the weekend, saw a guitar signed by the Led Zeppelin frontman sell for £750.

A snare drum, signed by the vocalist and local artist, the charismatic Mike Sanchez, sold for £75, and a drive in a Ferrari for £180.

A total of 66 lots went under the hammer of Phipps and Pritchard auctioneer Chris Rees and raised a total of £5,800 to help send mother-of-one Jackie to Boston for pioneering Proton Beam therapy.

Jackie, aged 41, is suffering from a rare tumour on the base of her skull, known as chondrosarcoma. She underwent surgery at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Birmingham in January 2004 but unfortunately not all of the cancer could be removed.

Brave Jackie then learned of the pioneering life-saving treatment being carried out at the hospital in Boston and managed to secure £75,000 from Wyre Forest Primary Care Trust towards the £100,000 cost but was then faced with having to raise the remainder.

She had to travel to the United States as it is one of the only places in the world where equipment for the procedure is available.

It was then Robert Plant heard of her plight and stepped in to help along with another local artist, the charismatic Mike Sanchez.

They are planning a double bill concert at Kidderminster Town Hall on December 23.

By Sue Smith