WIGAN and Leigh Hospice has won a £300,000 lottery jackpot towards the cost of building a new annexe housing a creative arts therapy suite.

The new building next to the current Hindley-based hospice will have enhanced education and library facilities and a community meeting room.

The cash bonanza from the Big Lottery Fund was announced in the latest round of large grants for the North West Region.

Hospice chief executive, Stuart Liptrot, said: "Everyone involved with the hospice is delighted and grateful to the Big Lottery Fund for supporting this development.

"The new suite will help people to express themselves in ways they had not thought possible and to create significant pieces of work that can have a positive impact on their families for many years to come.

"It will create space for an out-patient clinic and enable the hospice to house a recently appointed consultant in palliative medicine and a specialist social worker.

"Through its education department the hospice has always been keen to pass on the expertise that it has gained over many years to other healthcare professionals. The development will provide better educational facilities including an "e-learning" suite and library.

"Local community groups have always been encouraged to visit the Hospice and part of the new building will also be available as a meeting room for such groups.

"The new annexe will undoubtedly enhance the range of specialist services the hospice is able to provide for the people of Wigan, Leigh and surrounding areas. It has also allowed us to retain the option to increase the number of in-patient beds at some time in the future if needed and providing funding is available.