THE New Medical Equipment Appeal at Hereford County Hospital has been officially closed. Its final account stands at £673,000.

The money is being used to buy the hospital better and more updated equipment than it would normally have been able to afford from its current budget.

The appeal fund was set up in April 2000 with a target of £850,000 in two years and a shopping list drawn up.

Chairman of the appeal was former non-executive director of Hereford Hospitals Trust Jenny Dereham supported by fund raising co-ordinator Beth Hockram.

The fund started at a fast pace but, due to the foot and mouth crisis, many events had to be rescheduled.

Countless individual donations were also received and backing came from charitable funds such as the Eveson Trust and the Henry Smith Trust. Much of the equipment has been purchased and is being used. Hereford Hospitals Trust has described the closing total of £673,000 as 'staggering' .