A credit-crunch defying newspaper appeal has seen £100,000 collected in just 11 months for a baby care unit.

The Lynn News’ Special Care Baby Appeal looks set to hit its original target of £150,000 which will go towards structural and facelift work, ensuring massive improvements to the lifesaving facilities for ill and premature babies at the town’s Queen Elizabeth Hospital and give more people access to them.

Hospital fundraising executive Laurence Morlaàs said: “We are extremely fortunate readers have taken the appeal to heart and people have been truly generous in spite of a difficult economy.”

Money from the appeal will help the hospital create a new room to allow parents to stay overnight close to their vulnerable babies on the unit.

Walls will also come down to create space enabling specialist staff to care for at least two more babies at any one time and the entire unit will get an overdue spruce up.

Editor of the Johnston Press twice-weekly Malcolm Powell said: “When we launched this appeal we knew it was a fantastic and deserving cause.

“It has been heartwarming to see the community join in our enthusiasm.

“We never thought we would hit this magic milestone so quickly. Despite the credit crunch our readers have been fantastic.”

Malcolm added that reporter Louise Brain deserved special praise for her efforts as appeal co-ordinator.