STAFF from a Swindon company have given £1,000 to a medical centre for its pioneering work with burns victims.

Employees of Dorcan-based Thermal Transfer, specialist mechanical contractors, won the money in an internal safety competition, after a year without any serious injuries. Earlier this year they worked at the Blond McIndoe Centre in East Grinstead, Sussex, building a new Tissue Banking Clean Room. They donated their prize to the centre's appeal for £500,000 for the first three years' running costs for the Clean Room, a filtered environment for preparing tissue for transplants.

The Blond McIndoe Centre is the legacy of Sir Archibald McIndoe, a plastic surgeon famous for his work with burnt allied aircrew. The idea for the donation came from Nigel Frost, managing director of Thermal Transfer. He said: "When I visited the centre I was shocked to see some of the patients being treated, in particular some World World Two veterans, who had suffered horrific burns to their faces and bodies. It was a humbling experience."