A hospital team has raised £1,000 in just one month to honour fallen soldiers from Hull and East Yorkshire who died fighting for their country.

The Maxillofacial team at Castle Hill Hospital came up with the idea of honouring veterans during commemorations to mark 100 years after the end of World War One.

Staff decided to raise funds for a bench with metalwork cut in the shape of soldiers and poppies after being inspired by the poppy display at Hull Minster.

Charge Nurse Michael Hookem said: “One of our dental nurses was talking about veterans and the poppy display in Hull and staff came up with the idea of having a bench outside the unit.

“The response was phenomenal. Every member of staff was involved from holding bake sales to tombolas and raffles.

“Patients and visitors to the unit were so generous and we’d raised the money for the bench by the first week in December.”

The bench has now been put in place outside the unit at Castle Hill and the estates team have planted flowerbeds around it to create a quiet haven of reflection. Olive trees have also been planted outside the front entrance to the unit with the small amount of money left over.

Michael said: “We thought it would be a really nice thing to do for outside the unit and we’d like to thank everyone who helped our appeal.”