A gemstone worth £10,000 will be the crowning jewel at a fundraising event supporting injured and sick soldiers in North Yorkshire.

The rare tanzanite gemstone will feature in the Jewel In The Crown event at Ripley Castle, which is raising funds for the Phoenix House Personnel Recovery Centre at the North Yorkshire military base.

The stone was donated by bespoke jewellers Stoners of Harrogate, whose fundraising Crystal Committee will be hosting the event on April 28.

All proceeds from the evening will go towards specialist rehabilitation equipment for the army-led Personnel Recovery and Assessment Centre, which is being built in partnership with Help For Heroes.

Christopher Stoner, owner of Stoners of Harrogate, said: “These servicemen and women have put their lives on the line for our country, so they deserve a great deal of care and support when they return home.

“Tanzanite is a rare gemstone which is exclusive to its African country namesake.

“We will craft the precious stone into a unique jewellery masterpiece for the lucky raffle winner.”