A NORTH-EAST cancer support group has raised almost £500 from the sale of Christmas cards and shopping trolley tokens.

The Darlington Lung Cancer Support Group has been selling cards designed by children aged three to 15, all of whom are related to a lung cancer patient in the town.

The group, sponsored by the Blackwell Grange Hotel, has sold more than 2,000 cards to family, friends and members of the public.

The tokens, for use in supermarket trolleys, have been designed by group members and features its anchor logo. More than 500 have been sold.

The money will be added to the £350 raised on a market stall last month.

Jeanette Draffan, a lung cancer nurse at Darlington Memorial Hospital, said: "We would like to thank everyone who continues to support us.

"Funds raised and donations given have been used towards equipment such as nebulisers for the patients' home use, transport for treatment to hospitals outside the Darlington area and outings to hospices in other areas."

The group, formed to support patients, family and friends, meets on the last Tuesday of every month at Blackwell Grange Hotel, in Grange Road, Darlington, from 2pm.