FORMER Foreign Secretary William Hague has added his support to an ambitious bid to raise £2m to provide a MRI scanner to a North Yorkshire hospital.

The Richmond MP visited the Friarage Hospital in Northallerton after the appeal passed the half-way mark.

Launched earlier this year by the Friends of the Friarage and South Tees Hospitals’ Charity, the appeal hopes to reach its target by the end of 2015. An extensive campaign of fundraising events, donations and help from local businesses has seen donations reach the halfway stage.

Mr Hague said: “This is a very important project that I am delighted to support and try to help in my final months as an MP.”