BIG-HEARTED firefighters spent a day raising funds for charity, collecting more than £400.

Members of Green Watch, based at Wembley Fire Station, targeted passers-by in King's Road, Chelsea, earlier this month, all for the benefit of St Luke's Hospice in Kenton.

Sheetal Ruparelia, community events fundraiser for St Luke's, said: "We'd just like to say a big thank you to the firefighters who gave up their time to help us. As a hospice we rely on voluntary contributions from the community and could not survive without such activities."

Rick Ogden, watch manager, said the £440 raised was a good return for six hours of bucket-rattling in the busy shopping district.

He said: "I think we helped raise the profile of the hospice in a different area. This year it needs £2.5million in additional funds to stay open and we are happy to help."