FIREFIGHTERS volunteered their time to ensure a hospice's grounds was safe for staff and patient access.

After St Mary's Hospice's grounds developed hard frost overnight, fire crews from Ulverston Station went above and beyond to ensure the ground was safe to walk on.

GSK in Ulverston also donated grit to see the charity through the cold spell.

A spokesman for St Mary's Hospice said: "After a very hard frost overnight, firefighters from Ulverston Station volunteered their time today to grit the hospice grounds, ensuring our clinical team could safely enter and exit the building to nurse patients in our care. A huge thank you also goes to GSK Ulverston, who kindly donated enough grit to see us through this cold spell. We wish you all a peaceful and safe New Year."