The League of Friends celebrated 50 years since the first stone was laid to build Teignmouth hospital.

It was attended by members of Teignbridge Primary Care Trust, Teignmouth mayor David Weekes, and they also had a very special guest Ellen Colley.

Ninety-four-year-old Ellen, known to her friends as 'mate' was a matron at the hospital when the first slab was laid. She retired in the mid 1970s after working more than 30 years first at the old hospital site and then going to work at Teignmouth Hospital where it is today.

Mary Taylor who was a ward sister at the hospital said Miss Colley enjoyed her time as a matron.

'She used to help out in the operating theatres, and always used to help out on wards that were short staffed,' she said.

The League of Friends in Teignmouth has more than 500 members and has raised more than a million pounds for the hospital over the past 10 years.

Freda Welton, who is chairman of the League of Friends has been involved with the organisation for 15 years.

'Our group were originally needed to help raise money and buy small things like blankets now, because technology has evolved, we need to make more money for equipment, the legacies have certainly helped.'

'The League of Friends helped pay for half of the x-ray equipment at the hospital,' she said.

David Weekes, the town mayor, thinks the League of Friends need recognition for their work.

'I think the charity are fantastic. They offer a personal friendly touch which is something you can not buy,' he said.

Pam Smith, chief executive of Teignbridge Primary Care Trust is now looking to the future of the hospital:

'The hospital has now opened a new spinal and back injury clinic and has two outpatient departments: TIA, which a heart clinic and a colo-rectal clinic.

'We are also in the process of creating a day care/theatre recovery area which will include beds, seating and a TV area.'

It is hoped that because the hospital is expanding, partly due to the charity money raised by the League of Friends, some patients will no longer have to travel to Torbay Hospital.