A COLOURFUL festive effort has been launched to raise funds to help seriously-ill youngsters and their families.

Hambleton District Council hopes to raise more than £2,000 with a Christmas display.

The civic centre, in Northallerton, is being lit up with a friendship tree full of baubles, each of which will raise money for the Teesside-based Butterwick Children's Hospice.

Over the next three weeks, people will be asked to buy one of 365 baubles to be placed on the branches -one for every day of the year.

Council chairwoman Susan Latter said: "Despite being a lifeline of care and support to many people, it receives very little statutory funding, and to maintain these vital services needs to raise £800,000 every year.

"We want to raise £2,200 -the amount it costs to run the hospice for just one day."

The tree has been sponsored by companies, including Room for Design, in Northallerton, Barkers, in Northallerton, DTW, of Guisborough, Falcon Press, of Stockton; Joe Cornish Galleries, of Northallerton; Kall Kwik, of Middlesbrough; Service Point, of Middlesbrough; and Strikes, of Northallerton.