Generous staff at the Abbey dug deep into their jeans pockets during a dress down day to raise more than £500 for the Telegraph & Argus Save Our Play Appeal.

And thanks to the company's charitable trust that amount will be matched penny for penny by the Abbey and boost the appeal total by a fantastic £1,042.

The Telegraph & Argus is aiming to raise £30,000 and provide financial security for Bradford Toy Library for the next two and a half year.

Nicola Redmonds, of the Abbey, came up with the idea of raising money for the toy library. She said: "We hold a dress down day on the last Friday of every month, where people pay £1.

"For the first time we came together as a whole building to raise money for the toy library and people gave a bit extra."

Kathryn Clayden, charity co-ordinator for Bradford banking at the Abbey, said everyone working at the bank's northern headquarters in Nelson Street had contributed.

"This is the largest amount locally we have ever raised," she said. "One man had a collection for his birthday which he gave and another man had a small lottery win and wanted it to go to the charity. We really had a brilliant response."

Emma Fawcett, one of two co-ordinator of the toy library, at St Luke's Hospital, Bradford, said it was a fantastic contribution. "It is brilliant and I hope it inspires others," she said. "I am thrilled the appeal is going so well. We just want to make sure we can continue working at the toy library and helping children and their parents."

The toy library, which lends out specialist toys for children with disabilities and special needs, was in dire financial straits and threatened with closure in March - unless £12,000 could be raised for running costs and replacement toys.

But now thanks to the generosity of readers the library is planning for the future and already buying new toys.