CLOTHING chain Matalan is adopting the Great North Air Ambulance as its chosen charity.

The fashion and homeware retailer announced its backing for the air ambulance as it prepares to open a new Durham store on Thursday.

Matalan invites customers to support the charity by taking along old, unwanted clothes or textile items, such as towels, curtains or bedding, to hand in to collection vans.

Old mobile phones and empty ink/toner cartridges are also being collected.

The store, at Dragonville, is promising shoppers plenty of first day fun and games, with face painting for children, plus raffles to further boost the chosen charity.

Established in 1991, the Great North Air Ambulance Service (GNAAS), a registered charity, bought the first ambulance helicopter in the North of England, in 1994.

There are now three helicopters, providing medical cover for Cumbria, North Yorkshire and the North-East.

Matalan Durham store manager Peter Ryan said: "This is a very important charity for the North of England and we are incredibly happy to be able to support it.

"We want to raise as much money as possible over the coming year, with a long- term plan of fundraising events and activities."

Pippa Holt, of the air ambulance service, said: "We rely on public donations to fund the helicopters, and this type of local support is a real boost. We're delighted to have Matalan on board and look forward to working with them."

The new store is situated in Dragon Lane.