FREEMASONS have donated thousands of pounds to North-East charities which help people with cancer.

At a ceremony at the Temperance Lodge in John Street, Consett, representatives of two masonic lodges - the Temperance Lodge No. 4115 and the Provincial Grand Lodge of Durham - handed over cheques totalling £3,900.

One of the organisations to benefit, to the tune of £1,000 from the Temperance Lodge No. 4115, was the Macmillan Cancer Relief County Durham Appeal. Macmillan is more than halfway towards meeting its target of raising £600,000 to appoint County Durham's first dedicated palliative care consultants.

The money will also be used to boost the number of specialist nurses working with cancer patients and their families.

Caroline Peacock and Caroline Broadfoot, from the Macmillan appeal, received the £1,000 on behalf of the cancer charity.

Afterwards, Mrs Peacock said: "This is a marvellous gesture from our local freemasons, who were very kind and hospitable. The appeal is going well and it is down to organisations throughout County Durham that we have come so far."

The other charity to benefit from the generosity of North-East freemasons was the Willow Burn Hospice in Lanchester, County Durham.

The hospice received £1,000 from the Temperance Lodge No. 4115 and £1,900 from the Provincial Grand Lodge of Durham.