A GOLD disc presented to David Bowie for his Diamond Dogs album raised £425 at an auction for the new stroke unit being set up at Wycombe Hospital.

The signed disc was provided by Wycombe Lions Club and was among several goodies auctioned, which together raised more than £2,500 for the unit.

Wimbledon tickets fetched £600 and the chance of a day's clay pigeon shooting went for £400.

The auction was held as part of a fundraising ball at Wycombe Town Hall, which brought in more than £5,500 for equipment for the new unit.

As well as providing the David Bowie gold disc singers often donate their discs for charity events Wycombe Lions also ran a casino at the ball.

The fund for the unit was set up by Susie MacTavish, stroke co-ordinator at the hospital.

She started the ball rolling by going on a sponsored slim, losing two stone and raising £1,800.

Many of her stroke patients were advised to lose weight, so she said she thought she had better set an example.

Last month, retired headteacher Enid Tector brought in a further £600 from the Trevelyan Lodge of the Freemasons.

The Wokingham-based lodge decided to give the money after hearing about the unit from Miss Tector.

She started as a volunteer at Wycombe Hospital after her father had a stroke and was cared for there.

She has now joined Ward 4B, which will become the site of the new unit, as a clinical support worker.

The money will be spent on equipment to help people get better and includes chairs, parallel bars and exercise equipment. The 20 bedded unit will take people from all over the county who have had acute strokes.

It should open in October.