DARLINGTON ranked fourth overall in a nationwide appeal for donations for a cancer charity.

More than £10,500 was raised in Darlington during Marie Curie's Daffodil Appeal in March, making it the best-performing part of the region.

The appeal is a nationwide event, coordinated by local fundraising groups.

The Darlington fundraising group held supermarket and street collections, and local businesses sold pin badges on behalf of the charity.

People volunteered in their droves to man collection tins and were instrumental in the huge sum of money raised, as were the people who dropped money in the collection tins.

Pat Irving, chairwoman of the fundraising group, said: “We’d like to whole-heartedly thank the people in and around Darlington for their tremendous support of the charity, both in volunteering throughout the month and giving so generously.

"For the town to come fourth nationwide for the huge amount donated by people is overwhelming although not surprising as the support the charity receives in the area is outstanding time and time again."

The group has several forthcoming fundraisers, email darlingtonfundraisinggroup.mariecurie@hotmail.co.uk for more information.