LEIGH Rotary Club held a collection for unreturned hospital equipment to save the NHS money.

With lots of people finding it difficult to return equipment after they have finished using it, even when it still looks new, a project was launched to tackle the issue.

The Leigh and Wigan Rotary Clubs, the council and the NHS launched a project which has been declared a roaring success.

The local authority established a department that can clean, repair and refurbish crutches, zimmer frames, perching stools, commodes, wheelchairs and other items.

Following a successful collection of surplus equipment last year, Leigh and Wigan Rotary Clubs staged another event last weekend saving the NHS around £2,500.

Following a collection at Tesco, Leigh Rotary’s president Frank Bowker said: “This was a terrific community project, saving money for the local Hospital Trust.

"Lots of people turned up with zimmer and walking frames, crutches, bed frames and many other items.

"We were pleased to receive many nice comments about this initiative and would like to thank the general public and Leigh Tesco for their support.”

In a co-ordinated effort, a similar collection was made by the Wigan Rotary Club at Sunshine House in Wigan.