A local branch of the largest trade union in the UK has thrown its support behind the Telegraph & Argus Crocus Appeal.

Members of Unite at the University of Bradford have donated £100 to the appeal, which aims to raise £1 million towards helping the city’s ground-breaking work to fight cancer.

The money will fund a cutting-edge machine – a mass spectrometer which will allow scientists to understand the vital role that certain proteins play in the spread of cancerous cells. Staff at the university will also be able to to carry out their work ten times more quickly using the state-of-the-art equipment.

Unite branch secretary Graham Pearson said: “We wanted to donate to the Crocus Appeal as we thought it was a very worthwhile cause to support, especially as the work is taking place at the university.”

Unite has around 70 members at the University of Bradford.

“We all know of people who have had cancer, it affects so many lives,” added Mr Pearson.

Professor Laurence Patterson, director of Bradford University’s Institute of Cancer Therapeutics, said: “We are very pleased that Unite is backing the Crocus Appeal. In order to reach our goal and invest in new cancer research technology it is vital that more organisations like this come forward and give us their support.”