CHILDREN with serious illnesses will be able to feel the comfort of a hydrotherapy pool once more thanks to a donation of £5,000.

Aldi Stores donated the cash to the Butterwick Children's Hospice in Stockton to enable it to carry out urgent repairs to the much-needed pool.

Children with life-limiting illnesses and their families from across the region have been unable to use the specialist pool as it needed a new system to ensure the chemical balance was maintained.

But now the pool can be used again.

Sara Benson, children's hospice fundraiser, said: "The hydrotherapy pool provides so many benefits to the children and families in our care.

"The warmth and hydrotherapy provided in the pool helps to reduce pain, aid relaxation and increase ease of movement.

"This gives some of the children movement and freedom not achievable at all out of the water, as well as enhanced well-being and enjoyment.

"The support from Aldi means so much to everyone here at the hospice, especially those who benefit from the use of the pool."

And Liam Rafferty, from Aldi Stores, said: "The hospice has recently been in the news after it was revealed that lottery funding - valued at approximately £150,000 a year - will end next April.

"The money from Aldi will go some way to plugging that gap by funding a project which is clearly vital to the needs of local children."