A STAMP shortage has prompted Kirkwood Hospice to renew its appeal for people to start collecting.

The stamp appeal at the Dalton hospice has been running for more than 20 years and has raised more than £40,000.

But, so far this year, profits are down and it has prompted stamp co-ordinator Mrs Vera Drake to remind people how valuable the appeal is.

The appeal has raised £1,946 since the start of the year, but £2,586 had been raised at the same time last year.

"We just aren't getting the quantity of stamps that we did do," said Mrs Drake, who started "helping out for a month or two" with the appeal in 1983 and has been involved ever since.

Mrs Drake and her four-strong team of dedicated volunteers diligently sort the stamps collected by people throughout Huddersfield, remove them from their backing, dry them and they are then sold on either in hospice shops or to private collectors.

Donations of collections of stamps are more valuable with one donation making £600 at auction.

Stamps can be donated at the Examiner's offices at Queen Street South, Huddersfield Library, local libraries and any Hospice shop in Kirklees.

Mrs Drake, 80, of Kirkheaton, also thanked a local stamp expert who helped with valuations for collections free of charge.