AN appeal for Glasgow Children’s Hospital Charity has been given a head start after £130,000 was raised at its 13th annual ball.

The funds will be used for life-saving equipment in Glasgow’s neonatal units, including more than £50,000 for state-of-the-art LifeStart resuscitation trolleys.

The appeal is aiming to raise £250,000 for the neonatal units at the Royal Hospital for Children,

the Princess Royal Maternity Hospital and the Royal Alexandra Hospital, where almost 2000 babies and infants are cared for each year.

Guests at Friday’s ball included Morna Thorburn from Mugdock, mother of micro premature baby Finlay. He was born at the neonatal unit at the Princess Royal last year at just 25 weeks gestation and spent 101 days in care until he was well enough to go home.

The Thorburns raised £23,500 for Glasgow Children’s Hospital Charity earlier this year to buy two transport incubators for the unit.

Morna said: “The doctors, specialist nurses and consultants all played a pivotal part in looking after Finlay and this amazing team became a big part of our lives,”

“However, to do their jobs to the full, they need access to the best equipment. We’re proud to support this important cause, to give babies like Finlay the best start in life.”