LIKE an old fashioned horse and carriage, the modern woman would not be seen separated from her collection of designer handbags.

Wherever she goes, one of her many bags - from supersized suitcase to petite purse - will be by her side. Carrying everything, naturally, but the kitchen sink.

So any man who wants to try to part the ladies from their handbags has got to have a good reason - and Phil Goodman could be just the bloke.

The manager of the Glasgow Fort shopping park wants to help a breast cancer charity and is keeping his fingers crossed he's hit on an offer which will prove too good to resist.

Shoppers who are prepared to give their handbag the cold shoulder will have the chance of replacing it with £500 worth of designer girlie goodies ... and that includes a new handbag.

He's staging a handbag amnesty throughout October to help highlight the fact that this is Breast Cancer Awareness month.

The event is being run in association with online fashion site handbag.com and Cancer Research UK.

Women are being urged to bring along their unwanted handbags to the Fort. They will then be donated for sale to local Cancer Research UK shops.

Phil says: "Handbags are just one of a woman's collectable wardrobe items and the vast majority of the female population have plenty that they never use. So this is a great opportunity to clear out the wardrobe and raise money for charity."

With women reportedly spending more than ever on handbags - some designer numbers sell for thousands of pounds - there should be no shortage of unused ones lurking in the bottom of their wardrobes.

Claire Higgins at handbag.com says 44,000 cases of breast cancer are diagnosed every year in the UK and adds: "We are very proud to be working with Cancer Research UK to help make a difference - not only by raising a lot of money, but also by helping to raise awareness of the illness."

Shoppers have until Friday, October 31, to hand in their old bags at the East End shopping mall.

So as the ladies queue up to bag their bags we asked how many bags do you have - and what's the most you've ever paid for one? Hand in a handbag to help breast cancer and you could be a winner ERIN SEALS, 19, sales assistant, Glasgow: I probably have too many handbags - I buy a new one every week! I probably own about 30 handbags and the most expensive one that I have cost £150 in Frasers. MAUREEN GALLAGHER, nurse, City Centre: I own about 15 handbags, but I don't really buy expensive ones as they are only fashion accessories. The most I have spent on a handbag is £30. ZEHRA BEKAR, 19, student, Erskine: I have around 25 handbags. The most that I have spent on a handbag is £65, which I bought from Urban Outfitters. CHLOE ROSSI, 18, student, Coatbridge: I probably have about eight bags, maybe more. I got a Chloe bag for Christmas and although I don't know how much it cost, it must have been expensive. IRENE SCHOLES, retired, Paisley: The most expensive handbag that I have cost about £50 - I don't really like to buy expensive bags. I probably have about 30 in all." YASMIN YOHAL, 19, student, Glasgow: The most that I have spent on a handbag was £265 and I bought it from Urban Outfitters. I think I have about five handbags. KATE ROSSI, 21, make-up artist, Coatbridge: My most expensive handbag cost about £80 from River Island. I would say that I have about 10 handbags. LAURA FORSYTH, 18, student, West End: I must have about 15 handbags - which is quite good for some people! This is my most expensive bag, it cost me £70 from Oasis.