The campaign to save beds at Maryport’s cottage hospital received a musical boost on Sunday.

The town’s Thomas Henry pub was packed for a Feel The Blues gig in support of the fight, raising more than £100 through donations, a raffle and sales of campaign wristbands and band posters.

Organiser Graeme McGrory said the event had also raised awareness of the hospital’s plight among musicians and music followers across the country.

The event featured headliners Albany Down, supported by the Ash Wilson Band, featuring Stephen Jackson, of Dearham, on drums.

It concluded with an impromptu performance by the SOB Blues Band, formed on the night and featuring Stephen, of AWOL, AWOL and Secure Unit member Dean Newton, of Maryport, Mama Sang and the Robots members Ryan Burns, of Whitehaven, and Brigham’s Mark Coles, who plays with Slagbank and The Paul Raymond Project.

They rounded off the event with a rendition of Neil Young’s Rockin’ in the Free World.

The gig was dedicated to John Hunter, former landlord of The Crown Inn at Ellenborough, who died aged 57 last month in the hospital after a cancer battle.

During the event, Albany Down dedicated their song You Ain’t Coming Home, from the Not Yet Over album, to Mr Hunter.

The event was attended by Bill and Sharon Barnes of the SOB campaign.

Mr McGrory said: “It went very well. It was busy and there weren’t enough seats.

“The bands had never met each other before and they worked very well together.”

The Save Our Beds campaign is fighting the possible loss of inpatient services at the hospital.

The change has been mooted by the Success Regime, which has been tasked with addressing problems in health services across north, east and West Cumbria.