Lister Hospital in Stevenage is receiving a helping hand from a Herts bookseller to entertain children who are patients on its wards.

Katie Luckett, of Katie's Book Barn, is hoping to raise £600 to kit the hospital play rooms with books and games for youngsters to enjoy ahead of Wednesday, August 4 - International Play Day.

So far, Katie has managed to raise a sixth of her ambitious total. If she collects the £600 she needs, Usborne Books will gift an addition 60 per cent - £360 - in the form of free books, which Katie said "would just be an incredible amount to deliver to the hospitals playroom".

She hopes that local businesses and kind-hearted people will be able to dig deep and donate to her book barn's fundraiser, which has a special place in her heart.

Katie said: "I am arranging a community book pledge for Lister Hospital, as my daughter has been admitted to hospital on many occasions due to complex health conditions.

"My daughter stayed in Bluebell ward and having games to play with really made the time pass for her and make her experience a happy one. I'd love to be able to help other children in the same position.

"Having a playroom to go to as an escape was vital for her recovery - having a place to switch off and enjoy the books and games on offer really helped to put a smile on her face.

"I would like to give back something for other children to enjoy and the more resources available for children the better."

Thankful for Katie's kind gesture and the good it will do for children at Lister Hospital, Eloise Huddleston, director of East and North Hertfordshire Hospitals’ Charity said: “We are so grateful to Katie for raising funds to buy books for our children’s wards.

"We all know how unsettling it can be for children to be in hospital so having a selection of books and games to keep them entertained and distracted while they are being cared for will make a huge difference. Thank you.”

To donate to Katie's pledge in aid of Lister Hospital, visit paypal.me/pools/c/8BnsJ39Ykv.