CARE packages have been donated to West Cumberland Hospital after £12,000 was raised at a cricket tournament.

The packages were donated to the hospital's Henderson and Loweswater Suites after the money was raised at Ged Blaney Memorial Day.

Mr Blaney, a former Whitehaven Rugby League player, died in 2015 aged 49 after a battle with cancer.

He was treated for chemotherapy in the Henderson Suite and received palliative care in the Loweswater Suite.

He was well-known, having played for both rugby league and union clubs, and coached a Whitehaven Amateurs youth football team.

The care packages donated to the suites include hand cream, lip balm and shower gel.

They also contain puzzle books, pens and boiled sweets.

Lynne Blaney, Ged Blaney's widow, was part of the fundraising and organised the distribution of the packages.

She said: "It’s quite a lengthy time that you’re in there. You get a bit bored.

"If someone’s with you, they can get bored. So we just try to help the person and the carer with them."

The Henderson Suite also received blankets.

Lynne hopes to donate televisions and headphones to the Loweswater Suite

She has also ordered special tokens for those receiving palliative care.

"It’s called heart in their hands," Lynne said.

"It’s like a little token which is divided into two.

"One part of the token stays with the person in hospital and the other part stays with the family, so they’ve always got a connection to the person.

"If they do pass away, it’s usually put with them into the coffin and the people left have always got a piece of them."

The sixth Ged Blaney Memorial Day took place at Whitehaven Cricket Club at the end of August.

Mr Blaney's son, Luke, plays with the cricket club.

More than £9,000 was raised through a JustGiving page set up by Kerry Ann Stewart, 30, who is currently receiving cancer treatment in the Henderson Suite.

Mrs Stewart, from Whitehaven, had been involved in the previous tournaments and her husband Jonathan is a member of the club.

Her dad and four others also raised funds through a sponsored head shave.