A CHARITY race night organised by a grateful grandmother and her friend is aiming to support the care of the most fragile babies from Cheshire, Merseyside and North Wales.

The event is being held this Friday, October 28, at Christchurch Community Centre in Bebington, and all proceeds going to the Neonatal Unit at Wirral Women and Children’s Hospital.

Every penny raised will help to fund additional medical equipment as well as training and research to further improve care for tiny and delicate babies.

One of the organisers, Sheila Clarke from Higher Bebington, said:“The amazing, specialist care provided by Wirral’s Neonatal Unit has enabled babies born as young as 23 weeks to survive and my grandson was one of the thousands of babies that they have helped.

"With services becoming increasingly busy and now covering a much wider area, there is a real need for public donation and support for neonatal care.

“We are currently in the process of setting up a new charity, which will be dedicated to supporting the amazing work that they do.

"This race night is one of our first events and promises to be a fun way of raising some funds as well as a great opportunity for people to get together with friends and enjoy themselves.”

The Neonatal Unit provides life-saving care to around 350 babies every year who have been born premature or sick in Wirral, Merseyside Cheshire and North Wales regions.

It is one of only two "level 3" - the highest possible - intensive care units in the whole of Merseyside and Cheshire and the only unit in the area to provide both adult and ‘level 3’ neonatal intensive care on the same site, allowing very sick mothers who have had poorly babies to be cared for in the same hospital.

Tickets are priced at £10, including a buffet supper. Call 604 7586.