NEIGHBOURS in Bridge of Weir have raised hundreds of pounds for a children’s cancer ward after holding a weekly bingo night in their street.

More than a dozen residents from Houston Road met outside their homes at a safe distance during the summer to take part in the fun event.

Diane Hill, 61, who organised the games, and her 90-year-old neighbour Bruce Watt have now delivered a cheque for £651 to the Royal Hospital for Children, in Glasgow.

The money will be used to pay for fun activities for children with cancer in the hospital’s Schiehallion ward.

Diane said everyone involved in the bingo games was delighted by the amount of cash raised, with another £220 donated to Macmillan Cancer Support.

“I didn’t expect to raise so much money,” she told The Gazette. “I’d like to say a great big thank-you to my neighbours for taking part.

“I decided to bring our bingo games to an end in August, as I felt we had done our bit. Also, as the lockdown was easing, it was getting more difficult for me as the bingo caller to shout over the increasing traffic on the road. There’s a possibility we’ll bring it back next year when the weather gets better, as I know some of my neighbours are missing it.”

Residents donated £3 every Friday night during the summer to take part in the fun and brought their own chairs to sit outside their homes.

Among the prizes were books and bottles of hand sanitiser.

Coral Brady, patient services manager at the Royal Hospital for Children, said: “On behalf of the Schiehallion team, we would like to sincerely thank friends and neighbours from Bridge of Weir who have so kindly raised money for our young patients.

“We were so inspired by the fundraising team that we will similarly spend the funds on games and activities for our inpatient children to enjoy.”