Mike Hamm, 63A CHECKOUT operator from Stratton dressed up as Mrs Doubtfire to raise money for the hospital that saved his grandson's life.

Mike Hamm, 63, who works at Sainsburys in Stratton, has raised almost £800 towards the building of a new intensive care unit at Great Ormond Street Hospital in London by dressing up as the character made famous by Robin Williams in the 1993 film.

Mr Hamm was inspired to help the hospital's fundraising efforts after doctors there saved the life of his grandson Matthew, who died three times on the operating table.

The youngster, who has a condition affecting his windpipe, was undergoing lengthy surgery to help him breath easier.

The operation had to be carried out because Matthew, who lives in Esher, Surrey, was suffering from Tracheal Stenosis, where his windpipe had not grown and remained contracted, leaving him short of breath.

The condition only occurs in one in eight million people.

"The surgeons did an amazing job," said Mr Hamm.

"His heart stopped three times during the operation, but each time they got it going again, and succeeded in the operation and now he is a happy three-year-old."

When Mr Hamm told colleagues he wanted to raise money for the hospital, some came up with the suggestion of dressing like Mrs Doubtfire.

He went to local charity shops to gather clothes and sat on the till serving customers.

"There was lots of interest," he said. "They announced it on the store's public address system and there were buckets at the tills. I can't believe how much we managed to raise."

The money is going to the new Paediatric Intensive Care unit at the hospital and will be used to buy equip-ment.