SECRET millionaire Charlie Mullins returned to Warrington to open the new John Holt Cancer Support Foundation headquarters – made possible after he pledged a £20,000 donation.

The charity moved into its dream premises at Palmyra Square in June and celebrated with an open day on Tuesday attended by patron Charlie, a self-made multi-millionaire plumbing magnate from London.

Charlie visited the town last September to film Channel 4 show The Secret Millionaire going undercover as a volunteer while living in a house in Longford.

He awarded money to the foundation, set up by Chris Holt in 2005 after her husband John, mum Betty and aunt Fran died from cancer, so volunteers could relocate from Fairfield Community House, which was being sold.

Prostate cancer sufferer Brian Brookes, aged 64, of Rawlings Close, Birchwood, who appeared on the show said: “What Charlie’s done is fantastic. He went over and above the call of duty and it was so unexpected.”

Charlie, who owns Pimlico Plumbing, also gave £20,000 to Long Lane Garden Centre and £20,000 to the Honey Rose Foundation in St Helens.

To keep his identity under wraps, Chris was told by the show’s researchers that Charlie had fallen on to hard times because of the recession and wanted to volunteer with a charity.

The producers told Chris they wanted to make a documentary about people giving their time to good causes during the economic downturn and asked if Charlie could help her.

Charlie visited the Volunteer Centre, on Suez Street, and selected the John Holt Cancer Support Foundation after losing an old friend to cancer.

He spent five days with Chris, aged 52, before revealing his true identity. She said: “For a small charity I’d never have dreamt to be picked for this programme, it was fabulous. It would have taken us years to raise that money ourselves.

“We’ve worked so hard for this and our old premises were dark and dingy. Now we have a place people want to visit and feel like someone’s wrapped a pair of arms around them.”

In addition both Marks and Spencer, at Gemini Retail Park, and Sainsbury’s, on Church Street, selected the foundation as their charity of the year in 2009 with the former making a £21,000 contribution.

The Morgan Foundation, an organisation that supports north west charities, gave £22,500 towards rent for three years.

The centre, manned by 42 volunteers, is Warrington’s first independent cancer support facility and is available to anyone who has been affected by the disease.

For further information visit jhcancersupport.com