ARTISTS who have helped raise £12,000 for a hospice over the past ten years are preparing for their latest fundraising exhibition.

The North Riding Art Group is celebrating a decade of helping St Catherine's Hospice, in Scarborough, with its tenth spring exhibition in Helmsley.

The event has become so well known that hundreds of people go along to see the paintings.

This year's exhibition runs from April 29 to May 8 when 140 paintings from 14 professional or semi-professional artists will be on display at Helmsley Town Hall.

All the artists donate a percentage of any picture sales to the hospice and sell an average of 60 paintings between them during the week.

Organiser Bill Campbell Trotter, who works from his home in Helmsley, said: "People are very supportive of the hospice and some people who wouldn't necessarily buy a painting are happy to come in, enjoy the pictures, and make a donation because they want to help St Catherine's.

"It's lovely to see people who come back year after year to visit the exhibition."

Jane Stockdale, one of the hospice's fundraising team, said they were very grateful to the artists for using their talents to help the hospice.

"They have made a lot of money for St Catherine's over the years and we owe them a big thank you for continuing to support us," she said.