A CALENDAR featuring views of Walney Island has been launched to raise money for Furness General Hospital in Barrow.

Geoffrey Thompson, an amateur photographer, has captured images of the area which have been put together for a 2001 calendar.

"The initial print of the calendar has been 2,500 copies with 1,000 copies pre-sold.

If they are all sold a sum of £9,000 will be raised," said Mr Thompson, who lives on Walney.

The money will be used for the benefit of cancer patients, added Mr Thompson, who has worked closely with Morecambe Bay Hospitals NHS Trust to get his project off the ground.

John Hutton, health minister and MP for Barrow and Furness, welcomed the idea as "very positive".