fundraisers have provided a huge boost for an appeal to buy medical equipment.

An auction of promises at Romanby Golf Course and Country Club, near Northallerton, raised a total of £21,000.

Robin and Valerie Jessop, from Scruton, organised the event to help provide an ultrasound machine for the town's Friarage Hospital.

The unit will cost about £62,000 and will benefit breast cancer patients at the Scott Suite, the breast care department at the Friarage.

Mr Jessop conducted the auction and the promises on offer included a morning at Mark Johnston Racing, tickets for the races, Sunday lunches at top restaurants, pheasant shooting and salmon fishing days.

There was also a week in a luxury apartment in Portugal including flights and car hire, a holiday in Southern Spain, a dinner party cooked in your home, rounds of golf, services of a gardener, rugby and football tickets, Christmas hampers and cakes, and a fireworks display.

Hospital trust chairwoman Glenys Marriott was delighted when her promise to help explore a family tree went for £140.

She said: "This fundraising event gave us all a great boost. It was a really exciting evening and I have never seen that amount of money be teased out of willing customers so skilfully before.

"The atmosphere was wonderful and we are all delighted that the event raised over £21,000 - a massive amount for one event.

"It was a splendid effort and we would like to thank the Jessops, their family and work colleagues and everyone who made the auction such a huge success."