HOSPITAL fundraisers have hailed an onion-themed appeal as one of the most unusual cash-raising attempts.

Retired Colin Gale is raising funds for the Special Care Baby Unit, where his daughter works.

Rather than organise a coffee morning or run a triathalon, green-fingered Colin has turned to his skills in the garden to help raise money for the SCBU incubator appeal.

The 70-year-old has taken two gargantuan onions from his Pinehurst garden and left them with The Works hairdressing salon in Redhouse together with a GWH appeal collection tin.

Colin said: “One onion would be the weight of two premature babies. We were going to do a guess-the-weight competition. Both of the onions together weigh four-and-a-half pounds.” They are a variety of onions called Hercules: “They’re the biggest onions I’ve ever grown. They’re definitely Herculean.”

His onions are now taking pride of place in The Works hairdressing salon, where Colin’s wife gets her hair done.

He said: “I’d like to get to around the £100 mark or more, but even if we raised £50, it’s worth it.”

Great Western Hospital charity Brighter Futures is currently fundraising for five new incubators for premature babies born on the maternity unit. The state-of-the-art new machines will make it easier for parents to hold their new child, while an iPod jack means the babies can be played soothing sounds of their mother’s voice.

The five machines cost £35,000 each. The hospital still has £70,000 left to raise.

Lisa Utting of Brighter Futures said of Colin’s quirky onion fundraiser: “This is one of the most unusual ways someone has raised money for us. It’s absolutely fantastic the way the community has got behind us and come up with all kind of weird and wonderful fundraising ideas.”

To donate to the SCBU appeal, call 01793 605631 or text SCBU18 followed by the amount you want to donate to 70070.