Ruth Madoc celebrated her 60th birthday this month

The actress, who shot to fame in the 1980s sitcom Hi-De-Hi!, is the star of the Variety Club event in Cardiff on Sunday night.

During the evening, which will include surprise celebrity guests, Ms Madoc will present a minibus to a special needs school in south Wales.

The actress, who celebrated her 60th birthday this month, said she was very flattered by the dinner.

"I am very excited - I am so thrilled," she said.

"Apart from the honour of the dinner, it is going to raise money and we must not lose that maxim - that's what it is all about," she added.

She added that she was very happy to be presenting one of the charity's Sunshine Coaches to Park Lane school in Aberdare.

I do not need tributes but it is very nice Ruth Madoc

Set in a 1950s holiday camp, Hi-De-Hi! was transmitted between 1980 and 1988, with Ms Madoc as Gladys Pugh, the chief Yellowcoat.

During her career, Ms Madoc - who was born in Norwich but brought up in Llansamlet, Swansea - has also been a regular performer on the stage and in movies.

And she recently appeared on the big screen in the film Very Annie Mary alongside fellow Welsh actors Jonathan Pryce, Ioan Gruffudd and Matthew Rhys.

Tributes

Ms Madoc said Sunday's event was the latest in a series organised by the Variety Club.

"They have given dinners to people before, and they thought, 'Ruth's 60 - let's ask her'," she said.

"I do not need tributes but it is very nice - if a little bit daunting," she added.

She said she had no idea who the mystery guests would be.

"It is all a surprise," she explained. "I have done a speech, but I don't know who is going to be there."

What she does know is that it will be a family affair, as her children are travelling back for the event.

"My daughter is flying from Gibraltar and my son is coming down for the event," she said.

The Variety Club children's charity aims to improve the quality of life for sick, disabled and disadvantaged children across the UK.