THE Malton and District Hospital League of Friends group has bought tens of thousands of pounds of new equipment for the hospital which will help it detect skin cancer.

Rebecca Render, chairman of the Friends, said the equipment is for the new dermatology clinic, which operates one day a week at the moment from the new Malton Diagnostics Centre at the hospital.

The range of equipment includes cameras, dermatoscopes, a hyfrecator and surgical equipment, all designed for detecting and treating skin cancer. In the coming months more than £40,000 of equipment will be given.

Ms Render said: “In the next few months, the skin cancer team will be starting to do plastic surgery at Malton hospital so the League of Friends will be funding vital equipment for this.

“This will enable a patient’s hospital visits to be cut down by the patient having diagnosis and treatment on the same day.

“We do want to continue to thank local people. They give us tremendous support and we’re very grateful.”

The Malton and District Hospital League of Friends runs a charity shop on Newbiggin in Malton.