THREE friends are helping to take The Evening Star's bid to buy a lifesaving ultrasound machine another step closer today.Betty Wood, Rachael Townshend and Beverley Nichols, all from Nacton go dog walking together but took time out to support the Lifesaver Appeal at a table top sale.

THREE friends are helping to take The Evening Star's bid to buy a lifesaving ultrasound machine another step closer today.

Betty Wood, Rachael Townshend and Beverley Nichols, all from Nacton go dog walking together but took time out to support the Lifesaver Appeal at a table top sale.

The trio raised £100 at a sale in Nacton Village Hall.

Mrs Wood, of Finney's Drift, said: “I saw the appeal in the paper before Christmas and knew there is a sale in the village hall every year.

“We booked a table and Rachael made cakes, her daughters Sofia and Luisa made posters for us, I made sausage rolls and we all collected bric-a-brac.

“We raised £86.70 then we got a £10 donation and we made the rest up.

“I've never done a sale before and am very pleased with what we raised. It's a good cause as you never know when you are going to need this machine.”

Lifesaver is raising £22,000 for a cardiac ultrasound machine for Ipswich Hospital's accident and emergency department.

The machine quickly helps doctors diagnose acute cardiac conditions, including heart failure, as well as doing 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.

n To support Lifesaver, send a cheque made out to Lifesaver: Evening Star Appeal, to 30 Lower Brook Street, Ipswich, Suffolk, IP4 1AN. You can also donate online at www.eveningstar.co.uk/lifesaver