A CELEBRATION of 110 years raised cash for newborn babies as two birthday girls gave up their presents.

Joyce Carr and Cath Smith, both from Haxby, asked family and friends not to buy gifts as they celebrated their birthdays.

Instead, they asked them to donate cash to York District Hospital's special care baby unit. They have now handed over £800.

Cath, 50, had her son, John Paul, now 20, cared for in the unit for 14 weeks after he was born.

The grandchildren of Joyce, 60, were kept there when they were born.

The two women were joined by John Paul, four-month-old Thomas, and one-year-old James to hand over the money. Joyce said: "We owe a lot to this unit. The staff here are completely devoted to their work and they do an absolutely wonderful job. It's nice to be able to give something back."

The money will be used to buy two nursing chairs for breast-feeding mothers.

Updated: 08:32 Thursday, September 26, 2002