The neurosurgery unit at Oldchurch Hospital has received a £30,000 cash bonanza, with the help of a Brentwood man.

David Tee, of Little Warley, is one of the directors of the Hornchurch Feast Committee and recommended that the committee donate the money to help the hospital's valuable work.

The unit has a special place in his heart after his own daughter, Joanne, was operated on there after it was discovered she had a brain tumour.

She is still receiving treatment at the Romford hospital.

To thank the hospital for the help and kindness staff showed his daughter Mr Tee recommended the donation.

The money will be used by Havering Hospitals NHS Trust to buy a neuro-endoscope to help treat patients with hydrocephalus, or 'water on the brain', and brain tumours.

Mr Tee said: "I recognise the very high standard of work performed at the Department of Neurosurgery at Oldchurch Hospital. This, linked with the name of consultant neurosurgeon Mr James Kellerman, is simply the reason I recommended this award.

"This new equipment, which will be in very capable hands, will really benefit the people of Havering, which was the original desire of the founders of this trust."

Hornchurch Feast Committee is a charitable organisation, set up in 1929 to raise money to benefit local people.

After years of distributing small amounts of money the committee recently had an astonishing windfall.

An old £500 investment in Hornchurch Lawn Tennis Club paid huge dividends when the land involved was bought up and the committee's original investment was suddenly worth £180,000.

The presentation of the cheque for £29,157, took place at Harold Wood Hospital, Gubbins Lane, last week, at a ceremony attended by Vijay Vasu, the Chairman of Havering Hospitals NHS Trust, consultant neurosurgeon James Kellerman and representatives from the neurosciences unit.

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