Cherie surprise for award winners.

TEARS of joy and a round of applause welcomed Cherie Booth yesterday when she made a surprise appearance at the Merseyside Women of the Year Awards to congratulate the overall winners.

The Crosby-born barrister was in Liverpool to formally open the city's Biennial Arts Festival but said she was delighted to rearrange her busy schedule after learning Liverpool's The Lily Centre had won the title.

Set up in August 2000, the Vauxhallbased centre provides emotional support to breast cancer patients and their families.

It was voted Merseyside Woman of the Year by readers of the Daily Post, clinching in excess of 1, 000 votes out of more than 1, 400 posted.

Ms Booth, who became patron of the organisation in May 2002, said it was instrumental in helping women cope with the illness.

She said: ``It is the most wonderful, warm and caring place, full of fantastic women and provides help at a time when it is really needed.

I became involved because I lost my aunt, also a Liverpudlian, to cancer and so I know how important these facilities are to a pretty deprived area of Liverpool. ''

The centre was named after the late Lily Haligan, a Liverpool woman diagnosed with breast cancer in 1989 who did not seek medical help for seven years because she was afraid to see a doctor.

The award was collected by organisers of the centre, Peggy O'Brien, Winnie Keating and Pat Heron.

p A full report and pictures will appear in Monday's Daily Post.