A nurse dedicated to helping terminally ill children in Milton Keynes has been funded for at least a year - thanks to 40 city companies.

More than £26,000 was raised through an Accumulator Challenge organised by the children's hospice, Keech Cottage.

Sponsors HSBC donated £50 to companies which they were then challenged to 'grow' by fundraising activities over the past three months.

The winner of the Accumulator Challenge was Volkswagen Financial Services United Kingdom of Blakelands which raised £6,124 - more than double any other company involved in the competition. Keech Cottage Senior Corporate Fundraiser Paul Sutherland said: "The team from Volkswagen Finance has been fantastic. They took the £50 and really ran with it, starting with a raffle and then thinking of lots of other ways of raising money. They worked really hard and have been very enthusiastic."

Joanne Heady from Volkswagen Financial Services said: "We first got involved with the hospice last Christmas when a few of us visited to help put up Christmas decorations and donate gifts. We were absolutely overwhelmed by the marvelous work that goes on there and when we heard about the Accumulator Challenge we decided to become really involved and do all we could."

Mike Keel, Deputy Chief Executive at Keech Cottage, said the money raised had secured a nurse to work solely with Milton Keynes children and their families in their homes in the city. Around 20 children from the city have life-limiting illnesses, and use the services of the hospice and its support nurse, who works alongside NHS professionals.