Pizza Hut in Dagenham raised more than £200 for Cancer Research UK yesterday – with a little help from a flashmob dance group and two fire engines.

Barking and Dagenham Post: The Bokwa dancersThe Bokwa dancers (Image: Archant)

The restaurant, at Dagenham Leisure Park in Cook Road, also hosted facepainting lessons, a cake sale and a raffle.

General manager Stephanie Yates said: “The day went really well – people really got into it and I could see everyone was enjoying it.”

Local dance group Bokwa Fitness also joined in with the fun, surprising guests with a flashmob routine in the Pizza Hut car park.

A pair of fire engines even visited the event to give people rides on the truck’s quint, an elevating ladder.

Stephanie admitted: “I’ve got awful vertigo – I was petrified.

“I went up, though. It was for a good cause and the firemen chatted to me the whole time so I forgot all about being scared.”

Yesterday’s event isn’t the only way the restaurant is raising money for Cancer Research UK.

With “Go Darren” across their backs, the team ensured supporting area manager for Pizza Hut in east London, Darren Sell, wasn’t forgotten. Darren will be running the London Marathon on Sunday in aid of the UK charity.

“Cancer hits every family,” said Stephanie. “I lost my brother to it so it’s very personal to me.

“The event wasn’t just about Pizza Hut and raising money – it was for ourselves too. It was really uplifting.”