A TOWN’S Mayor took to the stage with her flute to cap off a night of revelry and fundraising at her charity ball.

Jackie Billington hosted the event as the culmination of her year as Mayor of Didcot to raise money for her chosen charities Crohn’s and Colitis UK and the Didcot Air Cadets.

More than 100 people attended on Saturday, including the great and the good of South Oxfordshire.

The final totals are still being added up but it is thought that more than £600 was raised by a raffle, whilst proceeds from the £38 ticket sales will also be donated to the good causes.

Ms Billington said: “It was fantastic, absolutely brilliant.

“We had the most amazing band, The Quiet Men, who got people on to the dancefloor and I even got to play with them on stage.

“I am so lucky it went off as well as it did.”

In a year which started with Didcot being named the country’s most normal town, Ms Billington has been on Dutch TV, danced at a Silver Supper Club and opened new premises including an Asda store, pet shop and station restaurant since May 2017.

She decided to raise money for Crohn’s and Colitis UK after a friend, Julie Andrews, suffered from the disease and was an active fundraiser.

After her death from pancreatic cancer in January 2015, Ms Billington decided to continue to fundraise for the charity to honour the memory of her friend.

She choose to support the Air Cadets, which her son was a member of for six years, because of the range of opportunities it offers to young people in the area.

She said: “They are second to none – flying, gliding, shooting, swimming, radio controls, aviation studies, first aid, road marching – so much is offered.”

Thanks in part to the mayor’s fundraising, the cadets were able to move into a new building in August 2017, three years after the ceiling of their previous home collapsed.

At the ball, guests were treated to live music and a three course meal.

One of the attendees, Andy Baker, who runs local fundraising organisation Play2Give, said: “We were all privileged and totally delighted to be invited to the lovely Didcot Mayor Jackie Billington’s charity ball.

“Thank you so much Jackie. We had a great night.

“Well done Jackie and all helped you.”

A new mayor for Didcot is expected to be elected in May.