The Mayor paid tribute to a dedicated medical charity which raised more than £70,000 to provide a hospital with a new X-Ray machine.

Bess Harding, founder of the Epsom Medical Equipment Fund, and her team, were praised by Mayor of Epsom and Ewell, Councillor Sheila Carlson, who presented the machine to the hospital The Mayor chose the Fund as one of the charities for her mayoral year.

She said: "Over many years the Epsom Medical Equipment Fund has raised millions of pounds purchasing much needed equipment for our local hospital. "Bess Harding is the fund, without her drive and enthusiasm, facilities which we now take for granted would not have been put in place. Whether its organising barn dances, car boot sales or selling raffle tickets Bess is the power house at the heart of the fundraising. I have known Bess for many years and it was obvious to me that I should choose the Fund as one of my charities for my mayoral year and it was a great honour to open the new X-Ray room today. "This new, much needed, X-Ray machine would not have been possible without the £71,000 raised by Bess and her team. I congratulate her for her efforts, the Hospital Trust owe a great debt of gratitude to Bess for providing the equipment they cannot."