BOOKWORMS were in reading heaven as they attended a massive charity sale.The event was staged to help raise money for the St Felix Home for the Blind at Felixstowe - which supporters are raising £20,000 a year for in order to keep it open.

BOOKWORMS were in reading heaven as they attended a massive charity sale.

The event was staged to help raise money for the St Felix Home for the Blind at Felixstowe - which supporters are raising £20,000 a year for in order to keep it open.

The sale featured thousands of books, hardbacks and paperbacks, fiction and a wide range of non-fiction, including gardening, travel, food, reference, religion, biographies, nature and much more.

Held over three days in the former Solar garage car showroom at Great Eastern Square, organisers reckoned they sold between 5,000 and 6,000 books - happy readers going home with armfuls.

Chris Barnard, of the Friends of St Felix, which organised the event, said the sale had raised £3,208 for the home for visually-impaired people in Princes Road.

“We are delighted - it is an excellent result,” he said.

“I think people really enjoyed it and we had many visitors over the three days.

“The support we have had from the public for St Felix has been fantastic - people have been very kind. The friends only started a year ago and we have raised £32,000 in that time which shows the support for the home.”

There were a number of books left over, but it is planned to sell these on stalls at the annual strawberry tea fundraiser at the home in the summer.

Ipswich Blind Society wanted to close the home last year, saying it had come under threat because of the increasing impact of “care in the community” with more people staying at home instead of going into care homes, and families expecting a higher standard of facilities.

The society was persuaded to change its mind - providing £20,000 could be raised a year.

The friends held a wide variety of events, including an auction of promises and fairs, and also launched a monthly cash lottery.

What do you think of the Friends' achievement? Write to Your Letters, Evening Star, 30 Lower Brook Street, Ipswich, IP4 1AN, or e-mail EveningStarLetters@eveningstar.co.uk