MORE than half a million pounds has been invested in Ludlow Hospital in 10 years thanks to the support of people in the town and surrounding area.

The opening of the new x-ray unit takes the amount that has been spent on the hospital by the League of Friends in the past decade to £600,000.

“This is a massive step forward for Ludlow Hospital, and coupled with other League purchases, such as Ultrasound, Ophthalmic visual field-testing equipment, retinopathy photography and Lifepak heart monitoring and defibrillator technology we now have an excellent range of very high-quality diagnostic equipment permanently based at Ludlow,” said Peter Corfield, chairman of the League of Friends.

“Since 2008 The League has invested over £600,000, all of which has so generously been donated by local residents to help us improve the comfort and care of our patients and those challenged by long-term conditions.”

Activities are held throughout the year to raise money that is used alongside funding from the NHS.

In many cases it allows facilities to be available that could not be provided if only money from the state was available to pay for them.