KIND-HEARTED students at a Blackburn high school turned over a new leaf in a push to raise money for a hospital stroke unit.

Pupils at St Wilfrid's High sold copies of a book of photographs of old Blackburn to friends and relatives to raise money for the unit at Queen's Park Hospital, Blackburn, and their efforts are expected to raise £700.

Proceeds from the book, "1963 Blackburn - A Proud Town", all go to the unit.

Sales have exceeded the expectations of organisers who initially set out to raise £10,000.

Demand has been so high a second print run was ordered after the original run of 2,000 copies sold out and the cash target has already been broken.

The strong sales allowed hospital staff to go ahead and order specialist lifting equipment to help move patients around the unit.

The extra raised will be spent on other equipment and items to help patients. The project was the brainchild of millionaire former businessman Peter Street, of Langho, Blackburn, who was treated at the unit after suffering a stroke last year. He covered the cost of producing the book.

"The reaction to the book has been quite phenomenal," said Mr Street. "It's taken us all by surprise.

"I've never experienced anything quite like it and it's still going on. People are still buying copies."

The photographs were taken by amateur photographer John Eddleston just before the demolition of large parts of Blackburn town centre ahead of a major redevelopment.

Mr Eddleston, who now lives in a retirement home in Southport, gave his collection to a young relative, Simon Allen, who in turn passed them to his father Ernest who recently spent some time in hospital in Blackburn.

He met nursing orderly Dino Christodoulos who mentioned he wanted to give slide shows of "old Blackburn" to patients and it was a chance meeting between him and Mr Street which led to the book.

Dino went to St Wilfrid's to pick up the money raised by pupils.