LYNN Duffy was lost for words when a multi millionaire plumbing boss handed over a cheque for £20,000 to her St Helens-based charity.

Tomorrow night (Wednesday), tireless charity worker Lynn, who founded the HoneyRose Foundation, will feature in Channel 4's Secret Millionaire programme. The successful series follows wealthy businessmen and women as they go undercover in communities to assess projects and charities that could benefit from a handsome cash boost.

The windfall will help Lynn and her dedicated team provide memorable days for around 40 people with a terminal illness.

The generous benefactor is London-born Charlie Mullins, head of Pimlico Plumbers, who has also become a patron of the St Helens-based charity.

The HoneyRose Foundation, established in 2004, helps make days and occasions to remember for people over 40, whether it’s a helicopter ride or attending a Westlife concert.

For Lynn, who said she thought she was the subject of a TV documentary about charities, the timing of the donation had extra significance.

She explained: “What brought a lump to my throat was thinking about my mum, who died almost a year to the day this happened.

"She once said to me that she saw the Secret Millionaire had been in Liverpool and hoped they would come here. And almost a year to the day she died, they did.”

Lynn confessed she was stunned when he revealed his identity: “It’s not like me to be stuck for words, but I couldn’t say anything. It was such a surprise.

“Charlie was so lovely and down to earth. It’s brilliant news and I hope that the extra publicity will help. We work hard to keep this charity going and have already helped 480 families. This money will go to helping a few more.”

Charlie, who had also offered to donations to two charities in Warrington, where he had been staying in his stint up North, was full of praise for the work Lynn and her dedicated team achieve: “Lynn deserves a medal.

“They do special days where they give up to £800 to go and watch a football match or have a nice dinner, stay in a nice hotel, go on a helicopter ride. Little things like that mean such a lot to people.

“There was a guy there called Tony. All he wanted to do was to stay in a top hotel in Liverpool where all the Liverpool players stayed. The man was so thankful.

“For me it is the small things that this charity is doing and it means so much to people.”

The Secret Millionaire is on Channel 4 on Wednesday, October 21 at 9pm.