A LEYTON woman has raised more than £660 for charity by wearing a wedding dress for a day.

Maria Perridge, 45, of Vicarage Road, donned the gown, which she bought at a discount store for £30, on August 28 and raised about £663 for Diabetes UK.

Mrs Perridge, who works as a receptionist for RBS Accountants in Docklands, said: “I travelled to work by bus, tube and DLR, where I got lots of weird looks.

“I also had a backpack with a notice and managed to collect just over £12.”

She decided to raise money for Diabetes UK as it is the only major charity in the UK dedicated to the disorder and performed the same stunt last year.

She said: “The total is greatly above the amount I collected last year, I’m glad to say in this current econimic climate.”

Mrs Perridge raised most of the funds through sponsorship from friends, family and colleagues, but also picked up some extra cash from a special event held at the Conservative Club, in Jesse Road.

During the event, which included a charity quiz and was attended by a small group of friends and family, she managed to raise about £67.

Participants in the quiz were asked to donate £1 for every correct answer and 20p was donated to the cause for every round of drinks ordered.

Those people who attended – male and female – were also asked to wear wedding dresses to help raise funds.

Mrs Perridge added: “My husband also managed to raise £75 from his work colleagues at the NHS clinic in Leytonstone.”

Clients of the accounting firm where she works also made donations totalling £140.

Diabetes UK funds research, campaigns and helps people living with diabetes across the UK.

For more information, visit diabetes.org.uk