THEY have sown the seeds - now they are hoping it will grow and grow.

The BBC Daisy Appeal was launched live on the Radio Solent breakfast show amid a flurry of Danish pastries and cups of coffee yesterday morning.

The Daily Echo-backed campaign aims to raise hundreds of thousands for Wessex Cancer Trust over the next 12 months.

Broadcasting from the Rose Bowl, the home of Hampshire Cricket, presenter Julian Clegg rallied listeners to get involved.

The popular local radio station is hoping to create a daisy-chain of fundraising events over the coming year.

Around 50 listeners, businessmen and charity officials attended the launch at the ground in West End, near Southampton.

In a quick break from his show, Julian told the Daily Echo: "It is a big challenge to try to raise thousands and thousands over the next year. It will be quite an experience.

"This is the first time we have held an appeal by local people for local people on their local radio station, which we are delighted to be doing.

"It is tremendous that listeners have come from right across the south to be here for our first breakfast club.

"We hope that all the people that have come to our party will go away and hold their own events."

Fundraising events already in the pipeline include an underwear auction, a toddle waddle and a marathon climb up and down the steps of one of Southampton's tallest buildings.

One of the major aims of the campaign is to raise funds to help buy a second cutting-edge gamma camera at Southampton General Hosp-ital.

Listener Chris Glass's husband Allan, a Fawley parish councillor, is currently trialling a treatment which includes the use of the revolutionary camera at the hospital.

Mrs Glass, 61, of Holbury, said: "Allan had about two or three weeks of radiotherapy and outpatients and then went for chemo, whereas it would normally be very intensive.

"It is not such a horrendous thing to go through this way.

"Any way of raising money for any cancer treatment is fantastic."

Cash pledges can be made by phoning the BBC donation helpline on 08000 680133.