NEW breathing monitors are being bought for the neonatal ward at Colchester General Hospital, thanks to hardy fundraisers.

The Bootcamp Bastion team took part in a muddy 5km obstacle course in Brightlingsea last month to raise money for the ward, which had looked after a member’s baby.

Clare Newman, 38, from Stanway, had a daughter who was born weighing just over 3lbs.

Betsy, now two and a half, was taken straight to the neonatal ward where she stayed for eight days.

Ms Newman asked for the £1,763 raised from the assault course to be donated to the ward.

She said: “It has definitely exceeded what we thought we were going to get. The neonatal unit was fantastic. It’s there for the babies, and for the parents as well. The level of support was amazing.”

Karen Moss, Sister on the neonatal ward, said: “We were amazed at how much the team raised.

“We’ll put the money towards some much- needed breathing monitors for our sick newborn babies.

“We would like to thank them all very much indeed.”

The team of six who raised the money was Ms Newman, plus Sheree French, Lucy Storey, Nicola Mason, Sarah Hester and Kate Gibson.