FUNDRAISERS have had their faith in human kindness restored after an anonymous donor replaced a stolen raffle prize.

Thieves put the raffle in doubt after they stole a new mountain bike being offered as main prize in a draw at the Teesside Hospice shop, in Linthorpe, Middlesbrough.

The hospice needs to raise £2,500 every day to keep its doors and range of support services fully operational.

About 250 tickets had been sold for the raffle of the bike at the time the thieves struck.

Three hospice workers are planning to cycle 300 miles across Cuba to raise £10,000 for the hospice and were hoping the raffle for the bike would raise £2,000.

Joanne Denwood, one of the trio going to Cuba, said the donor, a woman from Bishopsgarth, Stockton, had already won a similar bike in another raffle and it was still in its protective wrapping.

"She was really upset when she read the article about our bike being stolen and decided to donate it to Teesside Hospice. We are really delighted.

"It is the same kind of bike, so we do not have to reprint the tickets or reimburse people who have already paid out money for raffle tickets.''

Joining Joanne for the sponsored ride across Cuba will be hospice charity shops' manager Sheila Bearcroft and Marske hospice shop manager Julie Adams.