NETBALL enthusiast Stella Campbell is hoping to turn her hobby into pounds for a cause that could revolutionise the breast cancer facility in Dorset.

Stella, who is an umpire and player with the South and West Dorset Netball League, has teamed up with fellow netballer Kelly Browne to host a knock-out charity tournament in aid of the Dorset County Hospital (DCH) digital mammography appeal.

Their charity mixed summer tournament world netball series will be taking place on Sunday, July 17 from 10am at Budmouth Community Sports Centre in Chickerell.

For Stella, the lead mammographer at DCH, the appeal is particularly significant as she sees first-hand the need for a modernised service to help detect breast cancer.

Boho B division two player Stella, 31, said: “I’m lead mammographer at DCH and this project is so close to my heart as it will make my job more efficient and satisfying that I will be providing an improved service to my patients. This is by reducing waiting times and improved image quality, especially for the younger women and men.

“The new procedure would be pretty much the same but the image quality is far superior. It would offer a quicker service than the current mammogram on film, which we have to process. It’s like going from an analogue camera - where you have to take the film to Boots - to digital.

“The new equipment would show the image up on screen immediately and take a much better quality picture.

“It could detect problems earlier, hopefully give an overall improvement to the breast service in this area and ultimately help save lives.”

She added: “Our appeal target is to raise £500,000 and so far we’ve got £350,000 so we’ve still got £150,000 to go.

“We’ve had really good local support and every day somebody asks about it, mostly thanks to all the publicity in the Dorset Echo. We hope that the netball tournament will be fairly light-hearted fun, with a raffle and people bringing picnic blankets to sit on, while raising money for the appeal. We would like to open the tournament to everyone but ensure they realise we are using world series rules.”

To find out more or to offer raffle prizes contact Kelly Browne at kelly.browne @talktalk.net or Stella Campbell at stellamcampbell @hotmail.co.uk

• The netball tournament costs £15 per team. Fees will go to the cause.

Application forms and rules are online at southwest dorsetnetball.co.uk