LOSING weight has added pounds to a charity collection.

Staff from Redcar's Marks & Spencer store helped raise more than £1,150 for the Great North Air Ambulance.

And after years of fundraising, customer assistant Denise Whitehead, and store manager Donna Cargill, were able this week to present the charity cheque to regional fundraiser Ken Weilding.

Ms Whitehead began raising funds for the charity with colleagues two years ago, by organising several in-store events to increase the charity fund from £850 to £1,154.

The Redcar store slimming club for staff raised £43 by donating 25p of the £1 joining fee to the charity fund.

Ms Whitehead also raised £100 during her sponsored slim when she lost 1st 1lb. Staff also arranged a bric-a-brac sale, book sale and raffle in store, which raised a further £57, and last Christmas, staff donated about £75 to the Great North Air Ambulance Service instead of writing Christmas cards.