Nurses marked World Kidney day and are helping to raise awareness of kidney disease.

Nurses from the renal department at Epsom, Sutton and St Helier teamed up with the South West Thames Kidney Fund on Thursday, March 8.

They ran a stall at the Bentall Centre in Kingston handing out leaflets, offering free blood pressure tests and raising money for the fund.

Dr Martin Stockwell, the joint medical director at the trust said: “Sadly, kidney disease is on the rise in this country, with more than 50,000 people now diagnosed with the illness.

“The lives of many people, and those close to them, are seriously affected by the disease.

"It's an extremely debilitating illness, but it can be treated and there are a number of things you can do to keep your kidneys healthy, including eating healthily, staying hydrated and keeping an eye on your blood pressure.”

Some of the tips to keep your kidneys healthy include staying hydrated, eating healthily, avoiding alcohol and smoke.

It is also important to have your blood pressure checked regularly as raised blood pressure can increase your risk of kidney problems.

Finally, stay slim as being too heavy raises your blood pressure, which is bad for your kidneys.

For more information visit epsom-sthelier.nhs.uk/renal.

For more information about the South West Thames Kidney Fund, visit www.kidneyfund.org.uk.