IT WAS the night for celebrating and realising dreams.

The Wessex Heartbeat tenth anniversary ball was themed Dream Night because the charity never dreamt it would raise £7m in a decade.

And the title for the ball proved even more apt when Heartbeat's dream of raising a record sum in one night came true.

The ball at Southampton's De Vere Grand Harbour Hotel raised about £65,800 to support the Wessex Cardiac Unit at Southampton General Hospital.

The figure easily beat last year's ball fundraising total of £52,000.

Wessex Heartbeat chief executive Alan Blair said: "This will be the highest-earning event in the history of Wessex Heartbeat. I am confident we've achieved a record on our tenth anniversary."

It was a hard act to follow after eight spectacular Heartbeat balls at the De Vere, but Leslie Vinnicombe, of Heaven Scent Florists in Woolston, transformed the hotel ballroom into a stunning vision using more than 2,000 roses.

Almost 300 guests - who had booked their places for 2002 at last year's ball - enjoyed a four-course meal and dancing to one of Britain's top showbands, The Alpha Connection.

Ocean FM radio station presenter and National Lottery frontwoman Gigi Morley was the master of ceremonies for the night.

She said: "Wessex Heartbeat are a marvellous charity and they do such great work. I feel really honoured to be the first lady to chair the charity ball.

"Heartbeat works tirelessly and it's great when you get so many people coming together to celebrate what they've achieved."

Winchester auctioneer Ian Curry got the bidding going for 11 fabulous prizes in the grand auction, which raised £35,350.

The biggest money-spinner was an 18 carat white gold bracelet set with 48 diamonds - donated by Picketts and Pursers in Southampton - which went for £10,000 to Peter Collingworth of Interclean Retail Ltd.

The Formula 1 package of a lifetime proved the next-highest earner, going to Stephen Hill of Hill McGlynn recruitment consultants in Southampton for £8,000.

The prize includes two VIP paddock passes for the British Grand Prix over three days next year, with access to the McLaren, Ferrari and Williams pits during practice, plus accommodation and full corporate hospitality with Bernie Ecclestone.

Mr Hill, a Heartbeat trustee, also splashed out £2,700 on a day for five people with the world number three power boat racing champion, and £4,000 on an original painting by Rolf Harris.

Mr Hill said: "I like to have these things as Christmas rewards for my staff. They're different things you could never buy.

"I always have a good night at the ball and I think this year will make more than any other year, which is really excellent."

Another £9,976 was raised through an auction of smaller prizes, including a tandem sky dive with the Red Devils, an England shirt signed by the team when they played Macedonia at St Mary's, and a round of golf with Matt Le Tissier.