A WOMAN has raised more than £2,000 for the hospital which looked after both her grandchildren when they were born prematurely.

Lesley Colley, 50, from Chester-le-Street, was raising money for new equipment at the University Hospital of North Durham.

Her grandchildren James and Emily Barrett, who live with their parents Liam and Victoria in Sacriston, were both born prematurely in 2011 and were treated by neonatal staff at the hospital.

She said: “It was the miraculous support of the staff from the neonatal unit that helped both children through a very traumatic start to their lives.

“Without the expertise of the doctors, nurses and support staff through this distressing time we may not have seen our grandchildren make it home to begin their lives with their mum and dad.

“It was a very scary time for the family, and throughout it all the staff were amazing. We can’t thank the very special people who work at the hospital enough, however we hope that the donation shows our appreciation and can help other families.”

The money was raised with help from EDF Energy at Doxford International Business Park, where Ms Colley works, and will go towards incubators and developmental positional aids.

Leanne Lawton, sister at the hospital said: “This generous donation will enable us to get more of the vital equipment we need for the care of premature babies. There can be a lot of complications with premature babies and it can be a very distressing time for the family, so anything that helps make this time easier is really appreciated."