WORCESTER Cathedral has played host to the biggest culinary event in the city since the Middle Ages.

Yesterday it welcomed more than 1,000 guests to the Big Event - three occasions in one designed to raise as much money as possible for the Appeal for Music and Light.

The day started off with a business breakfast, followed in the afternoon by a ladies lunch, all organised by David Hallmark, of Hallmarks Solicitors.

A spokesman for the company, Rebecca Widdowson, described how the Big Event had come about.

"Hallmarks has been involved in fund raising for some time and David was invited to organise the event," she said.

"He came up with the wonderful idea of doing three events instead of one, and I am delighted to say it is going fantastically.

"Each event had its own committee and it couldn't have been run better. We couldn't have asked for a better turn-out either."

Speeches

Many celebrities also supported the event, by giving up their time to do after-dinner speeches.

Barry Young, an inspirational business speaker, and former sales director of his own computer supplies and stationery company, entertained in the morning, while mother and daughter Josceline and Kate Dimbleby delighted ladies in the afternoon.

Josceline provided an entertaining speech on her new book, which follows the trials and tribulations of her Worcester-based ancestors, while Kate wooed the guests with her fabulous jazz voice.

In the evening comedian Alistair McGowan and Dr David Starkey provided two different forms of entertainment.

In total, the event raised more than £20,000 for the Music and Lights Appeal, which aims to make sure the Cathedral continues to inspire people for generations to come.

THE Big Event ended with a bang last night as a fabulous firework display lit up the Cathedral nave for the celebration banquet finale.

Despite initial fears that hunt demonstrators might interrupt proceedings, 400 guests in evening dress enjoyed a trouble-free, glittering occasion - the third and final event in a day which raised more than £20,000 in aid of the Worcester Appeal for Music and Light.

Vintage champagne and music from the English Symphony Orchestra's String Quartet greeted guests, who included civil dignitaries and Olympic equestrian gold medallist Leslie Law.

After a meal of oven roasted sweet bell pepper, fillet of Herefordshire beef, Evesham pears, local Worcestershire cheeses and coffee, diners were treated to a heavenly rendition of Ave Maria performed by Worcestershire Cathedral's head chorister Jolyon Loy.

Social commentator Dr David Starkey then gave a potted history of Britain's monarchy and the part Worcester and its Cathedral had to play in it, before Dec Verse sang from the Worcester Fragments - some of the earliest recorded church music.

David and Victoria Beckham, Michael Parkinson, Jonathan Ross, David Schwimmer and a host of other stars of stage and screen then entertained guests - all in the guise of Alistair McGowan who certainly made a big impression and succeeded in filling the Cathedral with echoes of laughter.

Speaking at the end of the five-hour event, The Big Event organiser David Hallmark paid tribute to everyone who had helped over the last 15 months to make his dream a reality.

"This day started at 4am for me but it has been simply spectacular," he said.