A kind-hearted pensioner today kept the spirit of the festive season alive after pledging �1,000 to boost The Evening Star's Have a Heart Appeal.

IPSWICH: A kind-hearted pensioner today kept the spirit of the festive season alive after pledging �1,000 to boost The Evening Star's Have a Heart Appeal.

The anonymous donor made the generous gesture in a defiant stand to bring vital heart attack services back to Ipswich.

She said: “People are really worried about this.

“Why should we have to be shunted off to other places if something happens?

“I think it's awful.”

The mystery benefactor, who despite her generosity chose to remain in the shadows, vowed to boost the Star's Christmas Appeal after reading of cases where emergency dashes to heart attack centres in Basildon, Norwich and Papworth were aborted after patients' conditions deteriorated.

She said: “The sooner you are treated, the better your chances of recovery.

“If something happened in this weather, you would get carted off to Basildon or somewhere and you could die on the way.”

As Star readers take part in charity events, football marathons and fundraising drives to support the appeal, the charitable patron said this was the only way she could show her support for the campaign.

“I couldn't do a marathon or anything but this is a good cause and it needs a boost,” she said. “We are being sidelined all the time in Ipswich.

“They keep taking services away and not putting anything back.”

The Evening Star is leading a fight to show NHS bosses that Ipswich demands emergency heart attack care where patients need it.

As part of our Have a Heart campaign, readers have already raised �15,000 towards creating a primary angioplasty centre (PPCI) in Ipswich.

But we still need your help to get Ipswich the health service it deserves.

Our secret supporter said: “Even if you don't have a heart problem now, you never know what might happen.

“These things can come on without warning and everybody should support this campaign.”

If you are organising a festive fundraiser or a Christmas whip round for the cause, email jo.thewlis@eveningstar.co.uk or call 01473 324840.

Do you support the campaign? Write to Your Letters, Evening Star, 30 Lower Brook Street, Ipswich, IP4 1AN or e-mail eveningstarletters@eveningstar.co.uk