Proceeds from the £44,000 sale of Maryport's pensioner rooms have been donated to the town's cottage hospital League of Friends.

The Senhouse Street rooms, which have been closed for over three years, has been sold at auction to an unknown buyer.

Building trustees Vince Mulgrew and Ronald Scholey decided the cottage hospital should benefit from the sale, because many of the patients there were elderly.

The pensioner rooms were opened in the early 1950s by a group of benevolent business people in the town.

The location was popular for the elderly who would come into town and stop for a cup of tea and a chat. It gave people a chance to enjoy each other's company and to rest when shopping.

In later years Edna McCafferty was the main organiser of the Friday morning events. 

She also organised regular trips away and was aged about 90 when she gave up caring for her "old folk".

Joan Risely, league of friends chairwoman, said the group was grateful for the large donation.

She said: “We have not earmarked it for anything in particular yet.

“There is always a list of things the hospital needs and at the moment it is looking at reorganising the car park.”