A MUSIC lover who was forced to give up her hobby due to poor health has donated her instruments to charity to help raise £500.

Avril Osborne-Taylor, 76, was advised to cut down on playing her beloved clarinet, saxophone and accordion after suffering from heart problems.

The pensioner, of Tilburg Road, Canvey, taught herself how to play the instruments when she turned 60, but handed them over to the Essex Air Ambulance to help it raise funds.

Now she has taken up a more peaceful hobby, painting watercolours. She said: “I can’t blow the wind instruments because of my heart and I can’t lift the accordion.

I watched a lot of the air ambulance’s work on television and I think they do a great job.

“ I was proud to donate to them.”

The charity auctioned the instruments on eBay. The charity’s events manager Wendy Byland, who looked after the sale, said: “It’s was quite an unusual donation, but we were really pleased with the result.”