A STAR meets a star!Adorable guide dog puppy Star came face to face with a national celebrity who is set to become well-known on Suffolk's airwaves ­- and he was clutching a bag of money for her.

A STAR meets a star!

Adorable guide dog puppy Star came face to face with a national celebrity who is set to become well-known on Suffolk's airwaves ­- and he was clutching a bag of money for her.

Pennies and pounds are pouring in to the Evening Star's Christmas appeal to help pay for the training of little Star, and radio DJ Toby Anstis collected his coppers to help the fund.

Mr Anstis - a former BBC children's presenter and who also appeared on I'm A Celebrity . . . Get Me Out of Here - will be hosting a daily late morning show on Heart Radio when it is launched from Ipswich in the new year.

He visited Suffolk to find out more about the county and meet key people, and met up with Star to help boost the appeal.

Mr Anstis, 40, brought along a carrier bag of pennies and tuppences he had been collecting.

“It was great fun and we had a lovely time meeting him,” said puppy walker Penny Parker, who is caring for Star during her first year of training.

“He had even collected a bag of pennies for us, for which we were most grateful - every penny helps, as they say.”

Star is recognised wherever she goes and when she made a surprise visit to the Evening Star's Christmas tree in Tower Ramparts last week was treated like a real celebrity, mobbed by people, everyone wanting a cuddle with her.

She has also paid a special visit to Ipswich Hospital to the children's wards to meet some of the youngsters being cared for and treated for various illnesses and ailments.

The children loved the visit, which brightened their day and gave Star the experience of a different environment.

Staff at the hospital in Heath Road have been collecting pennies for the appeal every Friday for the past few weeks.

Has your family been helped by the Guide Dogs - tell us your stories about this amazing charity: write to Your Letters, Evening Star, 30 Lower Brook Street, Ipswich, IP4 1AN, or e-mail EveningStarLetters@eveningstar.co.uk

HOW TO GET INVOLVED . . .

The aim is to raise £10,000 to help with the cost of Star's training - and we want the whole community to get involved with the appeal.

Every penny and pound will count and ensure that the little puppy get the best care and training as she is prepared to do the job of guiding someone who lives every day of their lives with the blight of blindness.

If you are organising a fundraising event for the appeal, then we want to hear so we can give it maximum publicity and help boost the amount raised.

So let us know what you are up to - get in touch with Richard Cornwell at the Felixstowe Newsdesk on 01394 284109 or the Ipswich Newsdesk on 01473 324788.

To donate to the appeal, please send cheques - made payable to the Guide Dogs - to Richard Cornwell, Evening Star, 172 Hamilton Road, Felixstowe, IP11 7DU. Pennies and tuppences can also be dropped off at the Felixstowe office.