MILLIONS of glasses were raised to see in the New Year but none more gleefully than that by cafe owner Michel Piquet.

The Frenchman, who runs Cafe St Pierre in St Peter's Street, Canterbury, took his first sip of alcohol in 12 months at 12.01am on January 1 after succeeding with a bet for charity.

It was a sip of Guinness as richly deserved as it was long awaited, because the bet raised about £6,000 for the children's Make A Wish Foundation.

The Foundation's purpose is simply to grant the wishes of children aged three to 18 living with life-threatening illnesses.

Mr Piquet's drinking partner and fellow Frenchman Dominique Levet, who runs a delicatessen in Sandwich, suggested the bet for a joke back in November, 2002, claiming there was no way his friend could give up alcohol for a whole year.

Losing the bet cost Mr Levet a hefty £3,000. A further £3,000 was added in sponsorship money from customers of the cafe, which will all go to the children's charity.

Mr Piquet, 48, enjoys drinking Guinness in his local, The Unicorn in St Dunstan's, as well as a glass of wine with his food and champagne on special occasions, so giving up was no mean feat.

"I had my last drink in The Unicorn last New Year's Eve, when I had champagne because I knew I would stop at midnight," said Mr Piquet, who made his home in this country 27 years ago. With English wife Yvonne he has owned the French cafe for eight years.