A TERMINALLY ill woman helped to raise nearly £3,000 by foregoing birthday presents just a week before her death.

Aileen Reilly, who was diagnosed with liver cancer in May, and her husband, Tom, asked for donations instead of gifts when they celebrated their joint 70th birthdays with a huge party in September.

Mrs Reilly contracted pneumonia and died a week later, on September 14, in North Manchester General Hospital.

Her family later found out that the weekend-long event raised more than £2,800, which has now been presented to the Pennine Acute Hospitals Charity.

Mrs Reilly, of Oakwood Drive, Heaton, was treated at North Manchester General Hospital several times, having blood transfusions and chemotherapy.

A special event was planned for the weekend of September 5-7 as a joint 70th birthday celebration for the couple.

Mr Reilly had turned 70 on April 4 and his wife was due to reach the milestone on April 27, 2009.

Around 100 people travelled to Borwick Hall in the Lake District from Bolton, Scotland, Spain and New York to enjoy walks, team challenges and pampering sessions before a big party was held.

There was traditional Scottish dancing, poetry and music, including a piper from Bolton Burns Club to mark the celebrations.

Mr and Mrs Reilly, who both originally come from Scotland, asked for money instead of presents and £2,817 was donated over the weekend.

Their daughter, Liz Reilly, said: “We all had a really good time, especially mum."

Half of the money will go to ward B3 at North Manchester General to purchase a comfortable chair for people receiving treatment.

The other share will go towards funding research into treatments for liver cancer.