A PUB is the toast of a hospital after raising £1,855 for a baby unit.

Jayne and Andy Kitchen, who own the Station Hotel, Picton, near Yarm, wanted to say thank you after their 20-month-old daughter, Ella, had to be taken to the accident and emergency department at the James Cook University Hospital, in Middlesbrough.

Mr Kitchen said: "It was a silly accident. I was putting as new light switch on the wall when a part fell on Ella's nose and she needed six stitches.

"This was just by way of saying thank you to the staff for the caring way they looked after us. We were just over the moon with the treatment Ella received.''

A painting by artist Mike Farbridge and other items were raffled at a fundraising evening at the pub.

The money raised has gone to the hospital's neonatal unit, which provides intensive care for sick and premature babies in the South Tees area and treats about 380 children each year.

Lynne Paterson, nurse consultant in neonatal and paediatric critical care, said: "We are very grateful for the money which will be used to improve comfort for our tiny patients and their families when they visit the unit."

Mrs Kitchen said: "We would like to thank our customers for being so generous and for supporting the fundraising evening and taking part in the raffle, especially local farmer John Barker who helped to make the evening such a success, and Mike for the lovely painting."