Customers and staff at M&S Handforth Dean raised a staggering £47,812 for St Ann’s Hospice during a year of fundraising.

More than £31,000 of that total was raised directly by M & S for St Ann’s.

Another £32,000 was raised through initiatives such as bag packing, which were supported by community groups such as scouts and brownies.

This additional £32,000 was split so that half went to the groups involved, and the rest to St Ann’s, the store’s main charity for the year.

M & S raised a total of more than £85,000 for various charities during a 12-month period.

Staff took part in a Storm the Orm cycle challenge in Llandudno and won an Accumulator Challenge run by the hospice by making a £2,500 profit from an initial fund of £100.

Sophie Brotherton-Burns, Commercial Manager at M & S Handforth Dean, said: “We’d like to thank customers and staff for their continuing generosity and all those who helped make it such a memorable year of fundraising for M & S Handforth Dean.

“We’re proud to be associated with St Ann’s Hospice which does such wonderful work in the community caring for patients with life-limiting illnesses.”