AFC Bournemouth captain Darren Anderton showed a different kind of team spirit at Royal Bournemouth Hospital when he teamed up with the British Heart Foundation to launch a campaign to buy the hospital new equipment for the fight against heart disease.

The Cherries' main man didn't hesitate when the heart disease charity asked him to join their Hearts In Motion appeal which aims to raise more than £60,000 for a 3D Echocardiograph machine.

"I know that heart disease can strike anyone at any time," said the former England international.

"None of us know when we might need the expertise and care of staff at the Dorset Heart Centre.

"I urge people in Bournemouth and Dorset to get behind the appeal, because with your help we can beat heart disease," he added.

The ultrasound unit gives heart experts a real-time, all-angles view of the patient's heart.

"It's as if they were holding it in their hands," said a BHF spokesman.

Consultant cardiologist Dr Adrian Rozkovec said Bournemouth's cardio unit already performs 9,000 diagnostic tests every year.

"We urgently need a new 3D Echocardiograph machine to cope with the increasing need for our service," he said.

The Royal Bournemouth Hospital is under more pressure than most. More than a million people in the region depend on the Bournemouth-based Dorset Heart Centre, with the population expanding at twice the national average.

Local fundraising manager Louisa Cowan said the BHF had raised and spent over £4 million on life-saving equipment and patient care in the South West.

"We haven't achieved this on our own.

"We rely on support, both through time and money to help us continue our life-saving work," she said.

To donate to the BHF, or get involved in its fundraising activities, ring 01722 780938, or visit bhf.org.uk/volunteer.