A PAINTING depicting Blackburn Royal Infirmary as it awaits demolition is to go under the hammer to help raise money for a state-of-the-art heart scanner.

The painting has been specially commissioned by the Graham Gardner Intensive Care Fund, a charity set up in honour of an East Lancashire man who died after being struck down by a mystery illness.

Father-of-two Graham Gardner was just 29 when he died of disseminated lymphoma, a condition which causes tumours, in April last year.

Graham, of Gleneagles Drive, Brockhall Village, was an otherwise fit and healthy lorry driver when he suddenly succumbed to the illness, only diagnosed after his death.

He was taken to Blackburn Royal Infirmary where doctors struggled to diagnose the condition.

Now his parents, Janice and Colin Mustoe, who fostered Graham from when he was three, have launched an appeal to buy a heart scanner for the new Royal Blackburn Hospital, due to open on the Queen's Park Hospital site in July, as a way of thanking the intensive care unit where Graham spent his last days.

The charity's first fundraising effort was to commission this painting by Bolton-based artist John Chapman.

Known for their nostalgic take on the region's landmarks, the paintings usually fetch thousands of pounds.

Mr Chapman said: "I've never painted the hospital before, but it seemed appropriate because it's soon to be demolished and it's also where Graham Gardner was treated.

"The side of the hospital I chose to illustrate is actually quite impressive."

The painting is now under auction and anyone wishing to make a bid can phone Joan Egan on 07831 118229.

The charity's first fundraising event will be a white tie and diamonds summer ball at the Dunkenhalgh Hotel, Clayton-le-Moors, on Friday, June 9.