Celebrities ranging from former EastEnders stars to current West Ham United players mixed with regular folk in the £20,000-plus fundraiser and more than 200 people turned up to the swanky £15-a-ticket bash at the Coach House Hotel, in Main Road, Romford, on Thursday of last week.Jack Brown, who is in New York for lifesaving treatment for neuroblastoma – a type of brain cancer – needs a total of $750,000 to turn his life around.

Jack’s parents are serving police officers,and used to work in Havering before relocating to Barnet. The Met has taken their plight under its wing. This event was organised by Havering Police and the hotel and was backed by the Recorder and Time FM. Time FM - Mark Dover the morning presenter manned the stage during the event. Money was collected through entrance fees, donations, raffles and an auction, which had among its lots signed football shirts,match tickets and stadium tours, toasters and limo and helicopter rides.There were also games galore, from funfair stalls to splat-the-rat – and a chance to soak Havering Police’s Senior Management Team with wet sponges.

Later, an impromptu and restricted performance akin to the Full Monty, conducted by senior police officers,raised a few hundred extra pounds for the cause.

Familiar faces in the crowd included Ex-EastEnder Lucy Benjamin, Bill Murray of The Bill and EastEnders fame, West Ham and England Under-21 midfielder Mark Noble,X-Factor finalist Robert Allen, renowned jockey Phillip Robinson,comedian Johnny McGee and former Hollyoaks actor and singer Tony T.

The highlight of the night was a police team bursting into the hotel after a stick-up took place involving three Spiderman-masked raiders armed with guns.They were arrested and unmasked before the guests, only to reveal their true identities– Leader of Havering Council Michael White, Phillip Robinson and Johnny McGee.

Supt Steve Wisbey said: “The mock raid was amazing – it surprised a few people. It was great that the public, businesses, emergency services and council could come together. It just goes to show what’s really good about Havering. We raised in the region of £21,000 and are still counting.”

Later, fireman Dave Neicho and his crew manager Jim Johnson turned out to present a £4,700 cheque from Blue Watch at Ilford Fire Station. They arrived on blue lights but had to get away quickly because of work.

Other fundraisers who turned out included Robert Reynolds, 49, of Redruth Walk, Harold Hill, who raised £1,189 for racing a souped-up Ford Transit around Arena Essex recently. He said: “It’s still running, even though I managed to roll it over and smash it to pieces during the race.”

The night was a fitting send-off for 16 off icers, including Borough Commander Chief Supt Sultan Taylor, who will pedal more than 200 miles over three days from New York to Rhode Island after raising an initial £17,600 in sponsorship.