STAGE and screen legend Dame Judi Dench shared a joke with fundraiser Sara Cutting at the opening of a new cancer treatment centre.

The actress, well known for her role as M in the James Bond films, was introduced to Sara yesterday at the Park Radiotherapy Centre in Preston Road, Brighton.

Sara, 47, from Brighton, spent a year posting selfies of herself wearing a different hat every day on Facebook as she went through gruelling treatment for cancer.

She continues to raise money for Macmillan Cancer Support, and after their meeting, Dame Judi made her own generous donation.

The Oscar winner spent an hour talking to staff and patients at the centre which is run by Brighton and Sussex University Hospitals NHS Trust.

The state-of-the-art centre has facilities aimed at improving patient treatment and recovery for cancer.

Dame Judi said: “I am delighted to be able to officially open this wonderful new facility and to see some of the cutting-edge equipment that will be used to benefit patients living with cancer.

“The work the staff do here is wonderful and it was a pleasure to be able to speak to patients and hear how important the treatment being provided at this new centre is to their lives.”

Sara fashioned a radio themed hat to recognise the new radiotherapy equipment at the centre.

She said: “Dame Judi was absolutely lovely. I am a very big fan of hers and it was wonderful to meet her.

“The facilities at the centre are absolutely amazing. There are private changing rooms, it is as bright as it can possibly be and the equipment is astonishing.

“It is going to help so many patients across Sussex. I was honoured to be there.

"Dame Judi even made a donation to my fundraising which was lovely and generous of her."

The centre provides a type of radiotherapy known as tomotherapy, which uses a 3D image of the treatment area, so the radiation beams can be targeted according to the size, shape and location of the tumour on that specific day.

During treatment, specialist staff can adjust the intensity and direction of the radiation beams in real time and the revolving beam treats tumours one layer at a time.

Side effects are often minimised because less radiation reaches healthy tissues and organs.

Consultant oncologist Fiona McKinna said: “This is a vital service for some of our sickest patients and our new machines are at the cutting edge of cancer care.

“People who need radiotherapy often have to come in daily for a number of weeks and the Park Centre is a wonderful environment for patients and for staff.”