CLINICIANS cycled more than 300 miles to raise money for a new children’s emergency and trauma department in Hampshire.

A team of 16 clinicians and staff from Southampton hospitals has raised £10,000 towards the Southampton’s children’s emergency and trauma department appeal.

As previously reported, donations will be match-funded by the government and a further £800,000 allocated by University Hospital Southampton NHS Foundation Trust (UHS) to develop a new £4.8 million state-of-the-art facility which will have an eight-bed observation area, 11 glass-fronted and sound proofed cubicles and X-ray and imaging equipment.

Now the team of experts has completed a 350-mile regional cycle challenge known as Tour de Wessex to support the £2 million fundraising drive being led by Southampton Children’s Hospital Charity and The Murray Parish Trust.

The team embarked on the

ride at UHS earlier this month and travelled clockwise around the region, taking in stops at emergency departments from Bournemouth to the Isle of Wight.