A CHARITY has made a start raising money for a support service for pre-school children with Down's syndrome.

The group, which formed earlier this year and hopes to raise £20,000 by November, organised a bag pack at Morrison's, in Darlington's Morton Park and raised £600.

A further £300 was raised for the charity by Well Hill School, in Middlesbrough.

Committee chairman Sandy King, whose grandson, Alex, was born with Down's syndrome, said the £20,000 target would be used to set up a support centre in Darlington for children from the town, the rest of the county and Middlesbrough.

He said: "A lot of people turned up to support us and I was absolutely delighted.

"We are planning another bag pack and next time we hope to do morning and afternoon shifts."

The next fundraising event is a music evening at the Forum, in Borough Road, Darlington, on June 27, and has been planned by committee member Joy Gordon.

Darlington Big Band will perform and the Forum is supplying the premises free of charge.

There will also be a raffle. Tickets cost £10 and will go on sale from the Forum soon.