AN EYE-catching fashion show featuring men in skirts is expected to raise more than £6,000 for charity.The Ipswich branch of MacMillan Cancer Relief is hoping that the show at Gresham's sports and social club, Ipswich, will be even more successful than a similar event two years ago.

AN EYE-catching fashion show featuring men in skirts is expected to raise more than £6,000 for charity.

The Ipswich branch of MacMillan Cancer Relief is hoping that the show at Gresham's sports and social club, Ipswich, will be even more successful than a similar event two years ago.

The money is still being counted but Sarah Nicholl, show organiser, said last nightthe show was a great success and she was delighted with all the support from the community.

The fundraising started in the run-up to the show when more than 20 companies in Ipswich held a "dress down" day where employees were encouraged to wear casual clothes and donate to the charity.

Then on Saturday night a raffle raised nearly £1,000 and guests paid £35 a ticket for the show and a three-course Thai dinner followed by music from the Java band.

The club was packed with 250 paying guests and there were 60 models and backstage staff.

The show was given a professional touch from Michael Sharpe, a London designer who has designed clothes for Kylie Minogue and Emma Bunton.

He was helped by Amber Swinn, an artistic director, while Edwin Harrel, who runs iDOiNK Technologies was the main sponsor.

Mrs Nicholl said: "I think the models and the show were very slick and professional. They were overwhelmingly good and I think everybody was terribly generous with the auction and raffle."

The models included Steve Spartacus, the English light heavyweight boxing champion, who was dressed in a gladiator outfit.

Clothes were provided from shops throughout Suffolk including Coes of Ipswich, Collen&Clare of Southwold, Darcy B of Woodbridge, Gorgeous Club of Ipswich and Totem from Woodbridge.