The woman accused by Jane Symes of "forgetting" to bank more than £1000 has today spoken of her feelings about the court case.Patricia Salisbury, now chairwoman of the League of Friends, was said by Jane Symes to have forgotten to bank £1037, raised through a street collection and a charity dinner.

The woman accused by Jane Symes of "forgetting" to bank more than £1000 has today spoken of her feelings about the court case.

Patricia Salisbury, now chairwoman of the League of Friends, was said by Jane Symes to have forgotten to bank £1037, raised through a street collection and a charity dinner.

There is no evidence that this happened and Mrs Salisbury herself is not under suspicion.

Speaking out for the first time since the trial, Mrs Salisbury, who was chief witness for the prosecution, said she thinks Mrs Symes underestimated her intelligence and feels totally ambivalent towards her claims.

She said: "Her accusations regarding myself are meaningless to me and to everybody else who knows either her or me in this area.

"I have spent my life in business and set up companies all over the world. I'm still compos mentis, I'm still bright."

Mrs Salisbury, who has been involved with the League of Friends for over 10 years, added: "I have never paid anything in to the bank for them. It's not within my remit."

Mrs Salisbury, first met Mrs Symes at Portman Road football ground when she went to pick her grandchildren up from a party and said she soon realised she had "excellent PR skills."

She denies that the trial will have an adverse impact on the League of Friends and said this has been demonstrated by the cards and letters of support she received throughout the trial.

She said: "The League of Friends will go on from strength to strength and be a lot wiser than we were before.

"We look forward to the cooperation of the public who I am sure will continue to support us in the way that they have always supported their hospital."