Hamper for children on the Rainbow Ward at the West Suffolk Hospital

It was the dying wish of Danny Wallace to offer up gifts and support for young children suffering from cancer.

He could see first-hand the illnesses they were battling against while he was being cared for at the West Suffolk Hospital, in Bury St Edmunds.

The 67-year-old, who lived in the town’s Beaumont Close, had prostate and lung cancer and sadly died in October.

But before his death he asked his niece Carey Southgate and her daughter Naomi Jaggard to make a hamper of toys and gifts for the children on the Rainbow Ward.

So at his funeral at the crematorium, in Risby, and the wake at the Home Guard Club, in Abbot Road, Bury St Edmunds, collections and donations were made.

And now Carey, 44, who lives in Horringer, and her 22-year-old daughter, who lives in Histon, near Cambridge, have visited the hospital to hand over the hamper. It contained books, activity packs, teddies, chocolates, Christmas stories and an assortment of activities for the children.

Carey said her uncle, who was a painter and decorator and an odd job man, was heartbroken to see the sick children.

“It broke his heart to see them when he went for his treatment as you just don’t expect children to be so ill so along with my daughter we got together and thought we would get some gifts.

“She got the ball rolling for me and we are now planning to put some Easter boxes together and keep the initiative going,” said Carey.

Pictured above at the Rainbow Ward at the West Suffolk Hospital are, Toni Armstrong, nursing assistant; Luca Maximillian Artne, aged four; Carey Southgate; Naomi Jaggard; Susan Durrant, staff nurse; and two-year-old Noah Norman.