THE huge generosity of East Lancashire people has allowed the purchase of a THIRD life-saving scanner.

In 1987 Lancashire Evening Telegraph readers rallied round when a £500,000 campaign was launched to buy a CT scanner for Blackburn Infirmary.

But money continued to pour in after the appeal was closed at more than £850,000 only 18 months later.

By 1991 it topped £1 million.

That cash has now been used more than 10 years on to buy a new CT scanner which uses the latest technology.

The new machine, bought from Toshiba Medical Systems, has replaced the original scanner which, after more than decade, has come to the end of its useful life.

Yesterday, Evening Telegraph editor Peter Butterfield officially opened the new CT scanner, which is housed alongside the Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) scanner at Blackburn Infirmary.

The MRI scanner was also bought last year after a magnificent fund-raising effort by East Lancashire people which raised well over £1million.

Blackburn, Hyndburn and Ribble Valley NHS Trust chairman Ian Woolley said: "It is remarkable that we have been able to purchase the scanner from funds raised during the original 1987 Scanner Appeal.

"We are extremely grateful for the generosity of local people in their continuing support for the Trust."

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