A man has left behind £5,000 to The Robert Jones and Agnes Hunt Orthopaedic Hospital to thank the hospital for the treatment his stepson received as a child.

James Hutson, who passed away last September, chose to donate £5,000 to the Orthopaedic Hospital, because his stepson Mike Goode was first treated at the hospital 46 years ago as a child after suffering from a Slipped Capital Femoral Epiphysis, brought on by an accident while he was playing.

At the time Mr Goode, who was aged 13 years old, was told by another hospital it was likely he would never walk again. However he was told about what was then a pioneering new surgery offered at the Orthopaedic that would give him a chance. This saw his mobility gradually improve within months and he was able to get back on his feet.

Mr Goode and Mr Hutson’s sister Mrs Brenda Owen recently paid a visit to the Orthopaedic to personally hand over the cheque to Bev Tabernacle, the hospital’s director of nursing and deputy chief executive, where they were also shown the £15.1 million Theatre and Oncology building and heard about the projects that have taken place in recent months, as a result of funds donated to the the Orthopaedic Hospital Charity.

Mrs Owen, from Warrington, said: “It was good to actually come into the hospital ourselves to find out about the great work that’s done here, and to also get a bit of an idea of the types of projects the money James has left will go on.

“We promised James we would come in personally to present the cheque to the hospital and that’s what we’ve done. James wanted to leave some money here because of what they did for Mike all those years ago and the difference it’s made to lives of the family.”

Mr Goode, 59, from Sandbach, said: “It was interesting to come back and see just how much the hospital had changed. To this day I’m grateful for what the hospital did for me, so it’s nice that it’s come round almost full circle really.

“I think I was the 13th person to have the surgery that was performed on me all those years ago, which signals how ahead of its time the hospital has always been.”

Bev said: “Mr Hutson’s legacy donation is an extremely generous one and one that will make a real difference to our patients and staff.

“Just some examples of recent expenditure from charitable funds includes money towards our new Theatre and Oncology building, small comforts for our patients on the children’s ward and Midland Centre for Spinal Injuries such as birthday and Christmas presents, craft materials, toys and DVDs, a refurbishment of our care of the elderly ward, including painting different areas in those colours to which patients with dementia best respond to, and much more.”

She added: “It was a pleasure to meet Mr Hutson’s family, I’d like to thank them for coming into the Orthopaedic to present us with the funds.”