Chef Tim Bilton and wife Adele overwhelmed by response to fund-raising campaign

The Go Fund Me campaign was launched by Laura and Nigel Holliday after they learnt their friend and television chef Tim Bilton had incurable cancer.

This weekend the couple swam the Great North Swim on Lake Windermere in a bid to raise money to help Tim, wife Adele and sons Henry 13 and Charlie seven make some memories as Tim under goes immunotherapy,

Laura had originally set a target of £5,000 but the response from friends and the food world that was smashed and now stands at £8,800.

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"The fund was first set up by myself and my husband Nigel when we decided to start raising money for the family by doing the Great North Swim in lake Windermere. It was really tough conditions but we did it ," says Laura who was at York University with Adele, Tim is her son's godfather. "We received such an amazing response by people wanting to support the family we have kept the campaign open so that we can continue to raise funds and people can donate. "Thank you from the bottom of our hearts."

Tim, who trained under Raymond Blanc, was diagnosed with eye cancer five years ago just as he was opening the Spiced Pear fine dining restaurant in Hepworth. He under went treatment but the cancer returned in his saliva glands and he decided to step away from the kitchen after brutal treatment.

He started working at Canon Hall Farm and had been cancer free for more than two years, until a pain in his knee turned out to be cancer. He has been told it is now incurable but hopes to spend as long as possible with his family by having immunotherapy at Sheffield's Weston Park Cancer Hospital.

"We have both been blown away by not only what Laura and Nigel have done but also by the response and generosity of people," says Tim, 47, who has appeared on the BBCs Great British Menu.

"Making memories is what it is all about now and making sure Henry, Charlie and Adele are happy."