ROBERTS Bakery has hit its fundraising target of raising £50,000 for the Prevent Breast Cancer charity thanks to the support of Northwich’s bread lovers.

The bakery turned five million wholemeal packs pink and asked the town’s shoppers to pick them up in their supermarket.

The £50,000 raised from the sales will help fund research which aims to prevent breast cancer, which affects one in nine women.

To mark the fundraising milestone, breast cancer survivor and Roberts’ family member Lindsay Occleston – along with colleagues Peter Styles and Jill Adams – joined the Prevent Breast Cancer team at its Nightingale Centre HQ at the University Hospital of South Manchester.

In attendance from Prevent Breast Cancer were chairman Lester Barr, executive director Nikki Barraclough, charity manager Louise Cairns and professor of clinical genetics Professor Gareth Evans, who is leading the SNPs 2 research project Roberts Bakery will now help fund.

Professor Evans said: “One in nine women in Northwich and across Cheshire West will develop breast cancer in their lifetime – that’s almost 15,500 diagnoses.

“National statistics show if current trends continue, this number could increase by 12 per cent over the next 10 years. This is why our work is so important.

“Gene research is an essential part of predicting breast cancer. If we can predict a woman’s risk of the disease by analysing her gene fragments, along with results from initial mammograms and assessment of lifestyle factors, we can then tailor the most suitable programme for her.

“The donation made by Roberts Bakery and those who bought its special pink packs is very much appreciated and has the potential to help us change the breast screening process and, ultimately, prevent the disease.”

Lindsay Occleston said: “We are delighted to reach our £50,000 target, and would like to thank everyone in Northwich and across our heartland county who has picked up a pink pack over the last 12 months.”

As part of Roberts’ continued commitment to Prevent Breast Cancer, a selection of its team recently joined the charity and other supporters on a London to Paris cycle challenge, helping to raise more than £60,000.