Go for it! - That's the message from the Telegraph & Argus Bradford Can... Cancer Research Appeal in the push towards the final hurdle.

Chairman Linda Pollard urged people to be persistent and inventive with fundraising to help achieve the £1 million target.

The pot stands at £850,000 and it is hoped the total will be reached by February 15 when a Celebration Ball will be held at the Hilton Hotel, Bradford.

Once the £1 million is raised, Cancer Research UK will give another £5 million towards work at Bradford University's Cancer Research Unit and clinical trials at Bradford Royal Infirmary.

Mrs Pollard said her memory of heading the appeal, which began in September 2001, was the generosity and commitment of the people of Bradford.

"It never ceases to amaze me how quickly people got behind the appeal. There's a real community spirit which seems to surface. People have really identified with this appeal." She said the achievement was special as it was the second time the city had supported a £1 million appeal, following the MRI scanner appeal which raised the money in 18 months three years ago.

Mrs Pollard said the appeal had been a lot of hard work, but rewarding. "One of my strongest memories is meeting such a vast array of people and hearing about their own personal experiences," she said.

Mrs Pollard said the first planting day at the Bradford Can... Appeal Commemorative Wood at St Ives, Bingley, was one of the highlights.

She said that gave her the opportunity to talk to people and find out why they were supporting the appeal. And there were hundreds of smaller events which had made a valuable contribution.

Mrs Pollard said the speed of fundraising had shocked everyone.

"People are extremely surprised at how quickly we have got to grips with it and how well we have done," she said.

She had received a handwritten letter of congratulations from the chairman of Cancer Research UK, Baroness Hayman. She said brilliant support from businesses as well as the community would hopefully help the appeal reach its target quickly.

Mrs Pollard said she was also thrilled at how understanding people had been about the idea of cancer research and clinical trials, and their importance.

She said raising the money for research meant there was no tangible goal, like the MRI scanner, but people had still supported the idea and saw the long-term benefits.

And she agreed new figures showing an increase in the number of cancer cases but a decrease in the number of deaths showed how beneficial research was.

"Bradford people have shown clear vision," she said.

She urged the people of the Bradford area to pull together to find the last £150,000.

"Let's show that the Cancer Research Unit and work at the hospital can absolutely fly."