OUR Guardian Angels appeal is coming on in leaps and bounds - and today we can reveal a glimpse of how some of the money will be spent.

Staff at York Hospital children's ward are this week trialling a new baby breathing machine, of the type they plan to install on the new Guardian Angels high-dependency unit.

The ward does not currently have this equipment, which is called a Cpap machine and costs about £9,000.

That means babies on the ward who are having difficulty in breathing sometimes have to be transferred out of York for their care.

But the Cpap machine means more babies struggling to breathe will be able to stay in York - one of the main aims of our Guardian Angels appeal.

York Hospital children's services matron Jill Crampton said: "Babies who sometimes just need help when they are tired of fighting the illness that they've got - this machine enables them to breathe.

"We don't have one of these at the moment. We can't provide this care in York at all - this takes us to the next step. It means the appeal is that bit nearer."

The hospital is trying out the machine this week, and hopes to buy one within the next few months. Staff will be trained how to use it and it is hoped it could be up and running by Easter.

Meanwhile, our appeal has this week had another major boost after a music gig raised nearly £2,000.

Tim Hornsby, manager of York music venue Fibbers, hosted the fundraising gig after his grandson, William, came down with life-threatening meningitis.

As reported in The Press in December, William fought the illness in hospital for five weeks - two of them in intensive care.

But today William, two, from Haxby, is recovering well at home and has recently started to walk again.

Granddad Tim put on a special fundraising gig on Saturday to raise money for the appeal after seeing first hand how it would help other children in the same situation as his grandson.

The night featured music from members of local band Mostly Autumn; Chris Helme from The Yards, and Hijack Oskar. It raised £1,724 for our appeal.

Tim gave "huge thanks" to the musicians who took part in the event, and all those who bought tickets - including those who could not actually make the event itself.

William's mum, Katie Hornsby, said: "It was such a good night. There were loads of people there. A lot of the nurses came. It was really nice of the bands to do it for free. To raise that much money is just fantastic - to be able to give something back means so much."