BANK worker Denise Lee has been praised for her part in raising more than £50,000 for charity.

Ms Lee of Stanley, was presented with a charity champions award from the Royal National Institute for the Deaf for her fundraising work through the Lloyds TSB.

She travelled to London to pick up the award at a presentation ceremony in the House of Lords.

Having set herself a target to raise £40,000 for the RNID at the Newcastle Haymarket office of Lloyds TSB, she managed to raise £53,371.

The cash will be used to fund the RNID's information and tinnitus telephone helplines.

She said: "I am obviously delighted to have been recognised as one of the top charity champions for Lloyds TSB.

"But it goes without saying that it would not have been possible to have achieved so much without the hard work, support and enthusiasm of everyone involved - especially staff in the North-East area who have been fantastic throughout and our loyal customers"

Ms Lee and her colleagues held a number of events throughout 2002, including a football World Cup dress down day, when Lloyds TSB staff in Newcastle wore red, white and blue for the day instead of their uniform.