CHARITIES have benefited from a safety record clocked up by workers at a Teesside chemical complex.

Earlier this year, DuPontSA, at the Wilton site, near Redcar, achieved 3.5 million hours without a serious accident.

To celebrate the achievement, the firm has donated £3,500 to local charities. Employees on the site nominated the charities they want to benefit from the cash.

They chose 19 charities, including Daisy Chain, the Norton respite care centre for autistic children and their families. Daisy Chain was presented with £1,750 by Andy Waters, who works on the Wilton site, and company manager Gary Conroy.

Matt Simpson, project manager for Daisy Chain, said: "Without the help of business and the local community we could not have begun to raise the £1.5m we need for extra services."