A BONSAI tree that was cultivated by a supporter of St Leonard's Hospice in York is now set to raise vital funds for the charity.

The 30-year-old tree was donated by its owner's widow after his death last year and will now be raffled as part of the Riccall Open Gardens event on Sunday.

The event takes place between 1pm and 6pm and will include 16 very different gardens, including traditional cottage gardens, courtyard gardens and those with unusual plant collections.

At one of the gardens there is a large, fully-furnished dolls' house.

Plants and refreshments will be on sale at several of the gardens, as well as home-made cakes, books, antique lace and linens and gardening magazines.

There will also be craft stalls in the Village Institute in Station Road.

Entry is £2 for all the gardens and children under 14 enter free.

Karen O'Hara, of the St Leonard's Hospice Riccall Support Group, said: "This is the 12th year we have held this special event, which is one of the highlights of our continuous programme of events to raise funds for St Leonard's."

Updated: 12:23 Tuesday, July 01, 2003