75772-170TSUNAMI ACTION: A SWINDON woman was delighted to discover she fitted into Melinda Messenger's dress after a friend bid for it in the Evening Advertiser's tsunami auction, which ended on Friday.

Sarah Townsend-Hunt, 32, of Lower Stratton, says she feels "like a star" in the floaty pink designer dress that Melinda kindly donated to our charity auction.

And it is thanks to her ex-boyfriend Jim Chequer, 60, who bought the dress for £200 in our auction, that she will now have it hanging in her wardrobe.

Sarah said: "The dress fits just about.

"It's a bit tight around the top because I think I am broader in the back and shoulders than Melinda.

"It's quite hard to get into but it is absolutely gorgeous.

"The material is so light that it just floats around me."

She had no idea that Jim had made a bid for the dress for her.

"I was so excited when I found out he'd managed to get it.

"I do really admire Melinda Messenger she has done very well for herself."

Jim was on holiday in Thailand after the disaster occurred but was in Bangkok which was not affected by the tsunami.

He said: "I think that Thailand will bounce back from this.

"The people there are amazing and when we were lots of collections were taking place in the streets.

"I wanted to buy the dress so I could raise money for them but also because I thought it would fit Sarah.

"If it didn't fit I planned to auction it again on Ebay and raise more money for the appeal."

Another happy bidder is Tracey Allen who paid £300 for her son Thomas Melton-Ruddock, who is a big Swindon Town fan to spend a day at the ground, meeting players and watching them in training.

The prize also included tickets for a home match and a tour of the ground beforehand.

Tracey, of South Marston, who is married to Peter Allen, a businessman and has another son, Sam Melton-Ruddock, a cricket player, said: "I did it for my son.

"He is a major Swindon fan and his life revolves around the club.

"When I told him I'd bought the prize he didn't believe me at first

"He just looked at me and said 'are you sure?'.

"I'm hoping I can go along too maybe I'll be able to see the players in the bath or something.

"I also wanted to raise some money for the tsunami appeal."

Other items that were up for auction included a signed photograph of Robbie Williams, which sold for £100 and a football shirt worn by Jonathan Wilkes, a close friend of Robbie Williams, during the Sky reality TV show The Match. It sold for £60.

Diana Milne