WORKERS WITH HEARTS OF GOLD (From Warrington Guardian)

WORKERS WITH HEARTS OF GOLD

TWO generous Winsford workmen have used thousands of pounds they discovered in an empty house to buy a heart monitor for Victoria Infirmary.

Joiner Mark Hamman, 23, and bricklayer Matthew Griffin, 22, who both work for Weaver Vale Housing Trust, found £4,000 hidden in an old storage heater while renovating a house in School Lane, Lostock Gralam.

The duo admit it crossed their minds to keep the money, but instead they handed it in at Northwich police station.

However, it was returned to them after it went unclaimed.

Matthew, of Nixon Drive, said: "It's a mystery where the money came from. Taking it wasn't worth risking our jobs for, although we got some stick from the other workers at first. We did get a reward so it proves it pays to do the right thing."

The selfless pair decided to put it to good use and wanted to help their community, so they donated the cash to the Northwich infirmary's cardio respiratory department.

Mark, of Niddries Lane, Moulton, said: "When nobody came forward to claim it, we tried to think of a charity that we could give the money to and we decided to buy something which could help the local community.

"We both have relatives with heart problems. My dad suffered a heart attack three years ago and Matt's father has had heart problems too, so we both agreed to help the new unit."

Both workers received £500 for handing the money in and have put their rewards towards new cars.

The money they found was used to buy an ECG monitor to check people with heart complaints, and a special ECHO couch, which patients can position themselves on easily and comfortably for a scan.

At the moment all Northwich patients must travel to Leighton Hospital in Crewe to use the ECG monitor there, but now the service will be available in Northwich thanks to the pair's generous gesture.

Ron Parry, chief executive of Weaver Vale Housing Trust, couldn't have been more proud of the lads.

He said: "I had a bypass 10 years ago so this donation feels very personal for me. Both lads are young, engaged and looking for their first houses yet they still did the right thing.

"It really is a rarity to find people like Matthew and Mark nowadays and I can't tell you how proud I am to have them working for me."