A BID has been launched to raise money for equipment that could save the sight of diabetics.

The Save Our Sight campaign aims to raise £60,000 for a digital retina camera that will provide the latest treatment for diabetic patients at Darlington Memorial Hospital and Bishop Auckland General Hospital.

There are an estimated 10,000 people suffering from diabetes in South Durham, and about 4,000 are likely to have complications with their sight.

A third will have diabetic retinopathy, the commonest cause of blindness in people of working age.

The camera, which would be at Darlington Memorial Hospital, can diagnose problems by photographing the retina. Images can be e-mailed to GPs or forwarded for a second opinion.

David Moyes, of the Darlington branch of Diabetes UK, said it wanted to kick-start the fundraising this week, National Diabetes Week.

The committee set up to raise the cash has £20,000 already, after just two weeks. About half was from Bishop Auckland General Hospital's Diabetic Eye-Laser Appeal, which over-shot its £35,000 target.

Mr Moyes said: "We're trying to get a whole series of fund-raising events going.

"A fundraising evening at the hospital to launch the appeal raised £10,000, so the fund is already sizeable."