The Friends of Peterborough Hospital donated £1,000 to Peterborough Hospital Bowls Club to help them build a pavilion for the players to store equipment in, in 1984.

The club, which closed last September, promised to pay the friends group back, and saved up money in a special account.

Finally, after proceeds from raffle, teas and other sponsored events were totted up, the club was ready to pay them back.

Bowls club secretary Violet Gribbin, said: "When the Bowls Club opened in 1974 there were no facilities except the bowling green and a shed.

"The money donated by the friends meant we could build somewhere to put clothes and equipment and to make cups of tea, which made such a difference to the club.

"We wanted to show our appreciation to the friends by eventually donating the money back to them."

Chairwoman of Friends of Peterborough Hospitals Susan Mahmoud said: "The Friends of Peterborough Hospital is a charity that raises money for equipment to benefit patients and staff at Peterborough District Hospital and the Edith Cavell Hospital.

"We were pleased to donate funds to help the Bowls Club build its pavilion in 1984, and we are touched that they have raised the same amount of money to give back to us in 2008."