A host of celebrities including EastEnders stars Sid Owen and Patsy Palmer were among the guests at a children’s charity’s annual ball.

The Dream Factory’s Putting on the Glitz event, which was held at the Prince Regent Hotel, Woodford Bridge, Chigwell on Saturday managed to raise �34,000.

The charity, based in Fowler Road, Hainault, organised special performances from balancing act Crazy Horse, who have appeared on ITV’s Britain’s Got Talent, as well as a dance routine from the Cha Cha School of Dance, Loughton.

Also among the guests were patrons Vicki Michelle, star of the BBC comedy Allo Allo, former boxing champion, Colin McMillan, MP Iain Duncan Smith, and actor Gary Lucy.

Since the charity started four and a half years ago, it has granted 173 dreams for children and young adults with life-limiting conditions.

Sid Owen said: “I’ve supported the charity for many, many years now. Avril does such a great job, with everything that’s going on and what she’s doing you can’t not support it really.”

Patsy Palmer said: “I think she [Avril] is amazing. Her inspiration has come from something very sad, losing her own child, but to do what she has done is really amazing.

“All kids deserve a good life and even if their live is short they all deserve to have lovely things.”

Thanks to the efforts of the charity’s volunteer dream makers, work is currently going on to fulfil another 30 dreams soon.

The Dream Factory founder, Avril Mills, added: “It was a lot of hard work but it was worth it. Thank you to everyone who came and supported the event.”