VISITORS to York's McArthurGlen Designer Outlet were encouraged to go the extra mile - and raise cash to aid cancer research.

Chiefs at Macmillan Cancer Relief teamed up with shoppers yesterday to lay one mile of coins at the outlet near Fulford.

The event was part of the Macmillan Miles Challenge, which asks people to "do a mile" of any activity they wish.

The cash raised will be added to the Macmillan York Appeal - launched to raise £400,000 to fund two additional Macmillan nurses and a GP for cancer patients in the city.

Alex Emsley, Macmillan Cancer Relief's York appeal co-ordinator, said: "The people of York have been doing some amazing things for the event; running a mile to work, eating a mile of spaghetti.

"So we just thought we'd encourage visitors to the Designer Outlet to help us create a mile of coins - and go that extra mile to help people living with cancer."

Updated: 10:04 Monday, May 26, 2003