A normally chatty secretary has helped to raise money for the Martin House children’s hospice near Wetherby.

Caroline Driscoll, known for being a chatterbox in the Turner & Wall solicitors’ office, raised nearly £200 by carrying out a day-long sponsored silence at work.

The firm, based at North Street, in Keighley, raised £426 in total for the hospice throughout last year by holding events such as Hallowe’en fancy dress days and dress-down days.

The firm’s fundraising representative, legal clerk Vicky Iliff, said: “Caroline raised nearly half of the total amount.

“She is the person always walking around singing and chatting, you can always tell where she is in the office, so when she mentioned doing a sponsored silence I leapt on the idea.

“She got sponsorship from friends and family and colleagues and she succeeded in her challenge.”

Brenda Peel, a fundraiser for Martin House, said she was grateful for the company’s support.

She added: “Even though we are based near Wetherby, an hour’s drive away, we are still the children’s hospice for people in this area.”