A BIG-hearted four-year-old raffled off her teddy bear to raise funds for a hospital's special care baby unit.

Olivia Yarrow, of Westfield Drive, Hurworth, near Darlington, gave up the bear, called Bradley, to help premature babies at the Friarage Hospital in Northallerton, North Yorkshire.

Bradley, who stands 3ft 6in tall, was raffled at the Willow Tree Inn, at Leeming, near the home of Olivia's grandmother, Pat Daykin.

The event raised £220 towards the cost of equipment for the hospital unit.

Olivia, who had originally won Bradley in a raffle, visited the hospital unit dressed as a junior nurse to present her donation accompanied by Mrs Daykin, her mother, Amanda, her father, Steve, and her brother, Harry, aged six-and-a-half.

Mrs Yarrow said Olivia was born in the maternity unit at the Friarage, and added: "She wanted to take him to the hospital to show to the babies in the special care unit, then we came up with the idea of raffling him instead to raise some money for the unit.

"Olivia has lots of teddies and dolls. I just don't know how many. Bradley was the biggest one she had and she just wanted to raise as much money as she could for the premature babies.

"I am really proud of her. It is just typical of her. She is very caring and just loves babies. She thought those in the unit were really lovely. She says she wants to be either a doctor - or a princess."

Olivia's donation was accepted by unit sister Anne Wall, who said: "Olivia was a special visitor and it was a pleasure to welcome her. She really made our day. It was very generous of her to give up her lovely teddy bear to help the tiny babies we care for. A big thank you to everyone who took part in the raffle."

The Northern Echo was yesterday able to provide a surprise for Olivia, a Hurworth Primary School pupil.

After hearing of her big-hearted gesture, Lambs Toys, in West Auckland Road, Darlington, provided her with a new teddy bear.

A shop spokesman said: "When we heard what a lovely gesture Olivia had made, by giving up her teddy to help the hospital, we felt she deserved a new bear and we are delighted to have been able to help."