PATIENTS at a North-East hospital will receive an improved radio service thanks to a donation from The Northern Echo.

Darlington Memorial Hospital's Radio Skerne has received £1,000 from the Gannett Foundation, a charitable trust set up by the newspaper's parent company, Gannett.

The money will be invested in computer equipment to enhance the service.

Radio Skerne chairman Frank Benson said: "It will primarily go towards new equipment for the studio. We have refurbished so much of it and we are now able to broadcast 24 hours a day.

"This will go a long way towards helping us in what we are doing."