A team of fundraisers from Holy Cross Hospital have smashed their £1,000 fundraising target in a charity Dragon Boat race.

The team of 16 raised more than £2,500 towards the purchase of a new poolside hoist for the hospital’s physiotherapy centre.

Chris Hinton, interim chief executive at Holy Cross Hospital, said: “Hydrotherapy is a highly valued treatment method which has a firm place in the rehabilitation process.

“There are very few hydrotherapy pools in the south-east and as a service with very limited provision in the local NHS, our pool is in high demand which is why the hoist will be such a useful addition.”

He added: “The Dragon Boat race was a wonderfully positive event. The paddlers included Friends of Holy Cross, a patient’s family members and colleagues from across the hospital.”