WALKERS took to Southend’s iconic pleasure pier on Sunday to raise money for Southend Hospital.

Some fundraisers wore fancy dress, while others just wrapped up warm to walk up and down the 1.34-mile-long pier, but they were all raising cash for a new keyhole surgery theatre suite at the hospital.

Organised by Leigh Rotary Club, walkers braved the wind and chilly temperatures, from 10am to 4pm, to do their bit and contribute to the £600,000 state-of-the-art surgery suite.

The new equipment will benefit hundreds of patients every year, allowing the hospital to perform the latest and most complex keyhole procedures for those undergoing cancer or general surgery.