A coastal care home for former servicemen and their dependants celebrated a £5,000 boost towards a new minibus.

The Blakeney, Cley and District branch of the Royal British Legion gave the donation to Halsey House in Cromer.

The cash gift will go some way towards a new bus for the home, for taking its residents on activity trips, and picking up day centre users.

Home manager Sally Mills said the current minibus was coming to the end of its life, and the latest donation brought the fundraising total up to about £35,000.

'To have a minibus is vital for the home,' she added. 'We use it for taking our residents out and making life as normal as possible.'

Bernard Bishop, from the legion, said members had voted unanimously to give the home the donation.

He said: 'We are in the fortunate position to have an active club within our building, and we get rent from that.

'We wanted to know what we could do for Halsey House.'

The group were given a tour of the home, visiting some of its facilities, before the cheque presentation.

'It is very impressive,' said Mr Bishop. 'The staff have been so friendly, nobody walked past without saying hello. It is an eye opener. Until we came in here and saw what goes on and the lovely staff we had no idea.'

Ms Mills said she hoped to be able to buy the new minibus within the next four to six months.

Any further donations can be sent to the home, which is on Norwich Road in Cromer.