VETERAN Hollywood star Paul Newman's culinary skills have provided a major boost to a hospice appeal.

Supermarket chain Asda has teamed up with the Butch Cassidy actor to support Yorkshire-based children's hospice Martin House.

All after-tax sales from the actor's Newman's Own range of salad dressings, marinades and pasta sauces are donated to charities around the world.

Thanks to Asda shoppers, Martin House, at Boston Spa, is the latest good cause to receive a donation.

The £4,000 donation from Newman's Own will be used to purchase two suction machines for the teenagers using the new unit that is being built in the garden at Martin House.

Asda spokesman Guy Gordon said: "Martin House is a charity very close to our hearts so we're delighted to recommend the hospice for a Newman's Own donation."

Newman's Own was formed 20 years ago when Paul Newman and his long time friend and author A E Hotchner decided that the salad dressing they made for friends each Christmas was good enough to sell to the public. The pair deemed that all profits, would be donated to charitable organisations.