STORE owners in Warminster came together last week to raise money for the British Heart Foundation (BHF).

The Frock Shop, Griffin Jewellers, Sugar Plum, Cordons and the British Heart Foundation Store were decorated in red as part of the charity’s Wear It, Beat It campaign.

Westbury’s Linda Penny became a registered volunteer with the BHF after her husband Andrew underwent a quadruple heart bypass in 2009, and was on hand last Friday to collect donations along with the charity’s mascot.

“It went really well, I was picking up on comments from Facebook and People were saying it was nice to see Mr Hearty and it made one little boy’s day,” said the 46-year-old.

“People were asking why we were walking up and down and it was nice to raise awareness of it.

“Someone said to me they didn’t realise how much of the funding for the research by the BHF was reliant on donations.

“We don’t know how much we’ve raised yet as the shops are keeping the charity tins for a little longer.”

More than £650 was raised on the Saturday through a curry and quiz night at the Leigh Park Community Centre in Westbury for the BHF.

Elsewhere, £80 was raised by Trowbridge’s Nationwide staff and customers who also took part in the campaign last Friday.

Customer representative Tanya Burke said: “I love doing charity work starting from when I was in secondary school.

“I lost my grandmother seven years ago suddenly from a heart disease and it opened my eyes and made me get my health in order.

“It was definitely a warning.”