The retired porter suffered two strokes last year, losing his speech and the feeling in his left side for a time.

During his period of rehabilitation, Mr Bell, 67, was discovered to have a small hole in his heart.

He had two Echo cardiogram examinations at his former workplace, South Tyneside District Hospital.

And the information drawn from the tests at the Harton Lane hospital's cardiology unit proved a vital diagnostic tool for his subsequent treatment.

Mr Bell, of South Eldon Street, South Shields, is to undergo a second Echo cardiogram in October.

By then he hopes the test will show that the hole is healing and he is on the path to better health.

The pensioner is living proof of the effectiveness of the state-of-the-art equipment.

The Gazette has joined forces with the Heartcall charity in the bid to raise £50,000 to buy another Echo cardiogram for the district hospital.
And Mr Bell is fully behind the campaign.

He said: "It's great that such an effective piece of equipment is available to people with heart problems in South Tyneside.

"It is so precise it can see exactly how the hole in my heart is likely to progress.

"If the campaign is successful and the money is raised for another Echo it will be even better news for the people of the borough.

"We should be so grateful that we have access to such a piece of vital equipment on our doorstep and don't have to travel to other parts of the region."

Syd Nicholson, founder of Heartcall, has called on 2,500 individuals to donate £20 each to help reach the target figure in double-quick time.

Anyone who wants to support the Cheque Up campaign is asked to send donations to Heartcall, c/o South Tyneside District Hospital, Harton Lane, South Shields.