A NURSERY'S fundraising efforts have helped buy therapy equipment for children with special needs in south Durham.

The House of Eden Nursery, at Rushyford, near Newton Aycliffe, started raising money to buy a chair for Sophie Louise Darby last year.

Sophie Louise, who attended the nursery, suffered from a brain condition called holoprosencephaly.

She died, aged 19 months, before enough money had been raised to buy her the chair.

Staff decided to continue with the fundraising efforts, but donations increased to such an extent that they managed to collect £2,000.

That was enough to buy several items of equipment, which yesterday were donated to the child development team in south Durham and the special needs creche at Bishop Auckland Hospital.

Staff, children and parents at the nursery held a party to mark the presentation of the equipment, each item of which has a plaque with Sophie Louise's name on.

Her mother, Lisa Darby, who attended the presentation, said: "It's really brilliant that they've done this.

"I think they took a shine to her because she was such a little character."