Charitable souls across north Norfolk consumed hundreds of cakes and drank gallons of coffee to raise funds for Macmillan Cancer Support during this year's World's Biggest Coffee Morning.

County events doubled from last year's total, reaching a huge 3,000 in aid of the charity for people affected by cancer. At least 13 of those were held in the north Norfolk area.

Diane Burdett held her second ever Macmillan coffee morning at Cromer Community Centre in memory of friends she had lost to cancer. With help from her friends and family, the Cromer businesswoman raised more than �700, beating last year's total of �500. She said: 'We have done so well this year. The room has been full of people drinking coffee and eating home-made cakes all morning.

'It has been very easy to organise with help of my good friends. I couldn't have done it without them.'

Purdy's Tea Room in Aylsham donated the proceeds of all drink sales on Friday, September 29, to Macmillan. Funds were also raised through fun competitions and the sale of a donated teapot collection. The tea room collected a total of �660.

Tea room manager Stuart Morton said: 'We have been non-stop all day. The car park has been packed all morning and lots of people have been coming in specifically for Macmillan. People have been queuing out the door and it has been hard work keeping up with all the washing up.'

Mr Morton said everyone who worked at the tea room knew someone who had been affected by cancer and felt that Macmillan was a good cause to support.

Poppy Barton has been holding coffee mornings for Macmillan for at least 15 years. This year, she organised an event at Swanton Abbott Village Hall, which also featured a raffle and stalls.

She said: 'We did really well. We had a nice steady flow in the hall.

'I do it because it is such a wonderful cause. I know people who are visited by Macmillan nurses and they tell me how good they have been for them.'

Helen Chapman, Macmillan fundraising manager for Norfolk and Suffolk, visited many events on September 29.

She said: 'It's been great to hear people's stories about how Macmillan has supported them and their families, and it makes me really proud to be a part of the event.'