North Ayrshire Cancer Care has been handed a welcome cash boost from caring staff at a crematorium.

The £7,000 windfall will be used by the organisation to help support the much-valued hospital transport service they provide to cancer patients across the area.

This is the 10th major donation that Clyde Coast and Garnock Valley Crematorium has made to local charities since opening in June 2018, bringing the total donated to an incredible £92,000.

Funds have been raised through the business' membership of the Institute of Cemetery and Crematorium Management National Recycling of Metals Scheme, which sensitively recovers metals and orthopaedic implants following cremation with the consent of bereaved families.

The latest £7,000 donation was officially presented to David Haining at North Ayrshire Cancer Care's premises in Kilwinning.

Jennifer Hamilton, manager of the Clyde Coast and Garnock Valley Crematorium, said: "As professionals assisting the bereaved, we recognise the financial challenges that organisations supporting families at their most difficult and vulnerable time face. This £7,000 raised for North Ayrshire Cancer Care will directly benefit the families they support.

"Our heartfelt thanks go to each and every family who consented to take part in the Institute's national recycling scheme, without whom life-changing donations such as the one we are making today would not be possible.

"This is the second significant donation we have made to North Ayrshire Cancer Care since we opened in June 2018, bringing the total gifted to an incredible £17,000."

David Haining, of North Ayrshire Cancer Care, said: "We are very grateful to Clyde Coast and Garnock Valley Crematorium for this donation. It makes a real difference to our funds and allows us to continue to provide our vital hospital transport services."

Jennifer added: "Like North Ayrshire Cancer Care, our mission is to provide the very highest levels of care and to go the extra mile for families when they need support, and we are incredibly proud to be in a position to make this important donation.

"Since its inception in 2006, the Institute's national recycling of metals initiative has raised over £19.1million and has helped 691 different charities, and it gives great comfort for those who have contributed to the scheme, to know that the money raised is used to support outstanding organisations like North Ayrshire Cancer Care in the delivery of such important and sensitive end of life care."