A KNOCKOUT event has floored York Hospital’s Special Baby Care Unit after it received its biggest ever single donation.

York’s Legions Thai-boxing Club handed more than £14,500, raised from its ‘Night of Alfie’s Legions’ show at York Railway Institute.

The event was organised in memory of Alfie McQuade, who was treated at the unit after he was born at 26 weeks old. Sadly, he died two days later.

Martial arts exponents and boxers were pitched against each other in a bill of boxing bouts with every penny from sponsorship, tickets sales and donations from local businesses raising £14,530.

The Special Baby Care Unit confirmed it was the biggest single donation since its support group was formed. It also took the total money raised by the Legions club for the unit over the last three years to more than £23,000.

Debra Miles, a staff nurse at the unit and chairwoman of the SCBU support group, was thrilled by the donation. Paying tribute to the Legions club, she said: “Once again your tireless efforts to raise funds for SCBU has been amazing.

“You both put an incredible amount of hard work into organising the outstanding, massive fund-raising event.

“The staff and members of the SCBU support group who attended were thrilled to watch a fantastic performance from all the boxers and we were proud to support Legions Gym in a tribute to baby Alfie. His memory will live on forever.

“We are astounded at the amount raised and are so truly thankful to you. Thank you Dave and Dean.”

Legions co-founders Dave Phillips and Dean McQuade organised the event after being personally affected by the work of the unit.

Dave’s twins Roxy and Jack spent weeks in the unit after being born prematurely, while Dean’s son Alfie, who was born just 26 weeks into pregnancy, received the utmost care before his death two days after his birth. He weighed just 2lbs 2oz.

Dave thanked everyone who supported the event, adding: “We both wanted to give something back and since the club was founded three years ago it has been involved in fundraising for the unit.

“But the Night for Alfie could not have gone any better. To raise more than £14,500 was has been brilliant. The unit does such fantastic work and we are looking to do another fundraiser later in the year.”