AN unexpected donation to Bury hospitals has left health bosses wondering what to spend the money on.

Bury Health Care NHS Trust was given a long-distance donation of more than £1.3 million.

At last week's annual general meeting, Mr Barry Livesey, director of finance, said charitable funds had increased ten-fold from the previous year's total of £137,000.

The legacy, left by Mrs Florence Palmer of West Sussex, surprised health bosses.

At first, health chiefs thought there had been a mistake because Mrs Palmer lived in Bury, West Sussex, but her connection with Bury was through her father, who worked for a mill company in Bury and was on the local hospital management board.

Mr Livesey said: "We rely on the funds a great deal and we are very grateful for all the contributions. It was a surprise to receive Mrs Palmer's donation. It is a significant contribution that will make a huge difference."

He added: "We have not yet decided what the money will be spent on but it will be put into the service to benefit many patients."

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.