A community volunteer group has helped Epsom General Hospital to buy new equipment worth thousands of pounds.

The Leatherhead Lions Club, part of Lions Club International, donated almost half of the money needed by the Epsom Medical Equipment Fund to buy the new Verathon Bladder Scanner for the Day Case Unit at the hospital.

Rory the Lion, the Leatherhead Lions mascot, officially presented the scanner to the unit on Tuesday, August 25.

He also became the first patient of the bladder scanner, when it was demonstrated on him, pictured below.

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The Leatherhead Lions gave £3,500 to the Medical Fund, saved from fundraising events such as last year’s Donkey Derby, which helped them to speed up the purchase of the £7,500 scanner.

Former president of the club, Jim Malynn, said: "We are delighted to be able to donate £3,500 towards the cost of the scanner.

"We are a club of volunteers from this community whose aim is to help where we can, so it is natural that those who give to us should share in the common benefit of medical equipment at Epsom General Hospital."

The bladder scanner helps to diagnose common urological conditions by quickly and accurately measuring a patient’s bladder volume, and will help to reduce the use of unnecessary catheters.

Sister Lorna Belen, who works at the Day Case Department, said: "We are very delighted to have this equipment so that we are able to carry out bladder scans.

"It means that we can treat more cases as it was something that was badly needed to help look after patients with bladder problems.

"We are so grateful to the Leatherhead Lions Club and Epsom Medical Equipment Fund for surprising us and getting the bladder scanner to us so quickly.

"It will make such a difference to us and the patients we look after."