A PERENNIAL fundraiser is urging her army of loyal supporters to turn out their pockets as she prepares for her 14th Great North Run in aid of a Darlington hospice.

Eileen Leonard will run the half marathon on September 16 to raise money for St Teresa's Hospice.

For the past six years, she has had buckets at the Morrisons store, in Morton Palms, Darlington, where she works.

Last year, Eileen aimed to get a pound from every person in the town, and managed to raise £1,500. This year, she has been unable to obtain her usual timeslot for placing collecting buckets at the store.

"Unfortunately, there is somebody collecting every weekend and I've not been able to get in," she said.

But there will be a chance for people to obtain sponsor forms or make a donation at the store's customer services desk.

Eileen is presenting a cheque for £285 to the hospice this week on behalf of the landlords and regulars at the Shuttle and Loom pub in the town.

They held a fun day earlier this year in memory of Stephen White, 24, a coach at Darlington Football Club, who was found dead at his home last year.