THANKS today goes out to Ipswich bus passengers who helped boost the Evening Star's Lifesaver appeal with £100.Ipswich buses joined the campaign to buy a £22,000 cardiac ultrasound machine for Ipswich Hospital for a week, asking passengers to make donations as they travelled.

THANKS today goes out to Ipswich bus passengers who helped boost the Evening Star's Lifesaver appeal with £100.

Ipswich buses joined the campaign to buy a £22,000 cardiac ultrasound machine for Ipswich Hospital for a week, asking passengers to make donations as they travelled.

A collection bucket was put on the free town centre shuttle, provided by Ipswich Buses and Suffolk County Council, bus last month.

Malcolm Robson, managing director of Ipswich buses, said: “Ipswich Buses and Suffolk County Council were pleased to be able to offer the opportunity to users of the town centre shuttle bus the chance to donate any spare cash to the Lifesaver Appeal in the week prior to Christmas.

“Our passengers on the free service were willing to donate their spare cash which between ourselves and the county council was rounded up to a nice sum which we hope has helped the Evening Star in moving towards their target for the appeal.”

Lifesaver aims to raise money for a cardiac ultrasound machine for the hospital's accident and emergency department.

The state-of-the-art machine quickly helps doctors diagnose acute cardiac conditions, including heart failure, and can also do other ultrasound scans besides those for the heart.

Currently, the hospital relies on older technology such as x-rays. It has other ultrasound machines in the radiology department but often A&E patients need a scan immediately and the new machine will be on hand 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year.

Weblinks:

www.ipswichbuses.co.uk

www.eveningtstar.co.uk/lifesaver

n To support the appeal, send a cheque made out to Lifesaver: Evening Star Christmas Appeal 2006, to 30 Lower Brook Street, Ipswich, Suffolk, IP4 1AN. You can also donate online.

Shoppers at East of England Co-operative Society stores can help by using the special dividend number 977.