DELIGHTED hospice fund-raisers are celebrating a £726,766 grant to build a new day-care centre for seriously ill patients.

The lottery cash means work can begin this summer on building the £1.3million extension to the East Lancashire Hospice, Blackburn.

Rod Macaulay, appeal treasurer, said; "We are thrilled and delighted at this news. We are so grateful to the lottery board for supporting us and to the hospice staff for their help in preparing the application."

Fund-raiser Stuart Andrew, who began working for the Park Lee hospice last week, said: "While we are overjoyed, we still have a tremendous mountain to climb. We are getting nearer to the £1.3million target but on top of that we now need to find £300,000 a year to run the place.

"Local people have supported the appeal magnificently but we don't want them to think that because of this grant we are home and dry."

The hospice appeal was launched last year by Blackburn MP and Home Secretary Jack Straw. It is the second largest grant yet made by the National Lottery Charities Board in the North West. Appeal organisers have already raised more than £240,000, so now need to raise another £325,000 to hit their target.

Andy Freeney, North West regional manager of the charities board, said: "We are committed to helping those at greatest disadvantage and we are delighted with the number of groups and range of projects we have been able to fund in this round of awards."

Other winners include Blackburn-based East Lancashire Deaf Society, awarded £74,282 to pay for an education and training officer to run deaf awareness courses for the community and employers, and training courses for deaf people.

Hyndburn-based Lancashire Wide Network for Minority Ethnic Women will receive £316,940 over three years to provide advice, training and support to volunteers.

The Ethnic Minorities Development Association, also based in Blackburn, will receive £99,044 over three years to pay for two staff to run community development and support services.