MONEY raised at a Keighley district gala has been donated to Airedale Hospital’s Emergency Department Appeal.

The East Morton gala committee presented the £1,000 cheque to Dr Meg Crossley, consultant in emergency medicine at the hospital, to enhance the facilities for children in the new department.

The annual gala is organised by a group of volunteers and all the profits from the day are donated to local charities.

Chris Tetley, a spokesperson for the gala committee said: “I originally contacted the hospital to see if there were any projects connected to children that would benefit from the donation. I was told about the emergency department appeal and we all agreed that this would be the ideal recipient for our donation.”

The new department will have a dedicated children’s waiting area to help put children at ease when they come into hospital in an emergency.

Dr Meg Crossley, consultant in emergency medicine at Airedale NHS Foundation Trust, said: “We're extremely grateful for this generous donation and it will go a long way to helping the children we get through the doors of the emergency department.

"Children can find coming into hospital particularly distressing and new features such as colourful wall displays and an interactive floor will help parents to distract their child if they become anxious.”