A WHOPPING £20,000 was raised by Salisbury charity Horatio's Garden to support spinal injury patients.

The charity held a summer drinks party on Friday at its garden in the grounds of the Duke of Cornwall Spinal Injury Centre at Salisbury District Hospital.

Guests enjoyed canapes and cocktails as they listened to jazz music. There was also a silent auction and a raffle.

Horatio’s Garden was set up in memory of Horatio Chapple — a Bishopstone schoolboy who was killed by a polar bear while on expedition in Svalbard in 2011 when he was 17.

On Sunday a food and plant fair was held, which had a bumper turnout of more than 1,000 people.

Horatio's mother and chairman of the trustees, Dr Olivia Chapple, said: “We are delighted that so many local people came to support Horatio’s Garden once again. The weekend was a huge success and surpassed our expectations.

"The money raised will go towards the running costs to maintain the garden, the various garden activities and the numerous events we hold for patients and their families throughout the year.

"I would like to thank the many volunteers, our sponsors and everyone who has helped behind the scenes to make this event a real staple of the summer calendar. We can’t wait to do it all again next year.”

Sculptor Simon Gudgeon has donated a sculpture in bronze, called The Apple and will gift an apple to each Horatio’s Garden as they open throughout the UK.

He added: "I feel privileged to be able to loan several of my sculptures to Horatio’s Garden in Salisbury for the summer. However I also wanted to be able to give something of a permanent nature.

"When I found out that Horatio himself loved apples I thought my apple sculpture was a fitting tribute. I therefore decided to make and donate one of my bronze apple sculptures to each of the Horatio’s Gardens, the first of which was unveiled in Horatio’s Garden, Salisbury at the weekend."

For more information about Horatio's Garden go to horatiosgarden.org.uk