Hill backs heart lab appeal drive

Damon Hill was guest of honour at the appeal launch

Former Formula One World Champion Damon Hill has helped launch an appeal to raise funds for a regional heart attack centre at a Surrey hospital.

The NHS trust wants to run a 24-hour primary angioplasty service at Frimley Park Hospital, covering Surrey, north Hampshire and east Berkshire.

It currently has one lab and can only offer the procedure, which reopens blocked arteries, during office hours,

It has committed £3.5m to build another lab and needs £1.5m to equip it.

It said Mr Hill was invited to help with the launch because he lives near Farnham, which will be within the Surrey, east Berkshire and north east Hampshire catchment area for the new service.

Actor Brian Blessed had been due to help launch the Heart 2 Heart Appeal but was unable to attend because of unexpected filming commitments.