THE cardiology department of Medway Maritime Hospital has benefited from an optician's fundraising efforts.

Niall O'Kane Optometrists, in Strood High Street, staged a balloon race for its staff to raise money for the hospital.

The winning balloon reached Stowmarket in Suffolk, almost 100 miles away.

Glenda Lambert, principal cardiac physiologist at the Medway NHS Foundation Trust, said: "We're so pleased that we were chosen to benefit from the balloon race. The practice raised £460, which will go towards purchasing patient monitoring equipment."

Niall O'Kane said: "The husband of one of our customer services team members was treated at Medway Maritime Hospital after suffering heart problems and the daughter of one our dispensing opticians also underwent major surgery recently, so we decided it was an ideal cause to raise money for.

"It was a lot of fun and we were glad to have been able to raise some money for such a good cause – one very close to our hearts."