A CHEQUE for £4,000 has been presented to a leukaemia charity by members of a Darlington ladies' club.

Darlington Lioness Club donated the money in aid of the Leukaemia Research Fund to Professor Andy Hall, of Newcastle University, at their annual handover dinner this week.

The Lioness Club, with Judith and John Fogarty and Carol Saunders from Carmel RC Technology College, has published Michael's Story, about Mr and Mrs Fogarty's son who was diagnosed with leukaemia at the age of seven.

The club also donated £1,000 to other charities including the Grange Community Centre at Hurworth, the World Cancer Research Fund, Teenage Cancer Trust, St John's Ambulance Wheels to Life Campaign, Foresters Riding for the Disabled and Glasgow Special Olympics.

At the end of the meeting, president Pat De Martino handed over to next year's president Jean Pinnegar.

l There will be a book signing of Michael's Story at Ottakar's in Darlington, between 10.30am and 12.30pm tomorrow, with Mrs Fogarty's uncle, gardening expert Geoffrey Smith, who wrote the foreword.