YES Minister's very own Derek Fowlds helped raise £200 for a unique cancer detection charity at a question and answer session in Box.

The actor, who recalled parts of his life in front of dozens of interested villagers on Saturday, donated his fee from the Gentleman's Interest Group to the Medical Detection Dogs charity, who train intelligent canines to sniff out life threatening human disease.

"I actually bumped into Derek in Waitrose in Melksham and I jokingly asked him if he would like to join and the chairman also knows him," GIG events coordinator John Currant said. "He agreed to give a talk but he said it was only the fourth time he had done something like this.

"Derek was a great raconteur. He was very interesting and had quite a lot of stories about people he met and worked with including Peter Cushing. I started him off about his early life and how he got into the industry and it just flowed from there."

After receiving a talk from Maggie Christison weeks before, the GIG were so inspired by the work of the dogs at Medical Detection Dogs, that they invited fundraiser back on Saturday to receive a cheque for £200, which included the actors speaking fee.

She said: "We rely on public support and donations to fund our progress so we are extremely grateful to the Box Gentleman's Interest Group and to Derek Fowlds for their donations which will help us provide more detection dogs and help save lives."

For more information about the charity or to volunteer visit www.medicaldetectiondogs.org.uk.