VIRGIN Mobile has donated £500 to St Teresa's Hospice in Darlington after its owner, Sir Richard Branson realised customers could not pledge money to the charity by text messaging.

Technical difficulties mean Virgin is the only network not able to participate in text message donating which is the latest way for fundraisers to support the hospice.

Craig Linton, corporate fundraising manager at St Teresa's Hospice, said: "We are very grateful to Sir Richard Branson for his donation to the hospice and his willingness to lend his support to us."

In the coming weeks the hospice will open a full-time care unit with six beds, offering 24-hour respite care.

The unit will cost £250,000 a year to run and so donations are desperately needed.

People on telephone networks other than Virgin can give to the hospice by texting the word LIFE to 80540.

The message sent will be charged at the standard rate and one message will be received back, charged at £1.50, with at least 70p going directly to St Teresa's Hospice.

Mr Linton said: "Although this may not seem a large amount, if every mobile phone user in the area made a donation this way we would raise a substantial amount of money.

"At this very important time of change and expansion for the hospice we need to make sure that many avenues of giving are open to make it as easy as possible for our very generous supporters."