FIVE priests from different denominations blessed a charity Christmas tree yesterday.

Over the festive period, shoppers in Darlington paid at least £2 to write a personal message and hang it on the St Teresa's Hospice Giving to Life tree, in the Cornmill Centre. The appeal raised £6,000 for the hospice. It was blessed before being dismantled.

Jane Bradshaw, hospice director, said: "This has been a hugely successful initiative for the hospice, both for fundraising and for the community as a whole. Many thousands of people took the opportunity to write a special Christmas message and I would like to thank everybody who took the time either to help with the tree or to donate money to the hospice."