Campaigners are halfway to reaching their first goal of raising enough money to buy state-of-the-art equipment that will help revolutionise the treatment of breast cancer in West Herts.

The Watford Observer and its sister title, the Herts Advertiser, is backing West Herts Hospitals Charity’s appeal to raise £200,000 to purchase two Savi Scout surgical guidance systems.

These will be based at St Albans City Hospital where patients from across West Herts – including the Watford area – and use radar technology to precisely target and remove cancerous tissue.

To learn more about the appeal and make a donation, visit https://raisewestherts.org.uk/ appeals/beatcancer/

Appeal organisers have confirmed a total of £50,000 has so far been raised since the campaign was launched at the end of September by the official charity for West Herts Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust, meaning it is halfway to being able to purchase a first Savi Scout.

Almost £30,000 of the total was raised by participants who took part in the Titty Trail, an 11-mile sponsored walk from Watford General Hospital to St Albans City Hospital at the start of this month.