LOCAL people gave almost £10,000 in Christmas gifts to the East Lancashire Hospice Appeal.

In the fortnight before Christmas, £9,917 was given to help build an extension to the Park Lee building, Blackburn.

Street collections raised £905 in Blackburn, £580 in Darwen and £1,029 in Clitheroe and Whalley. Gifts included: Light up a Life appeal, £751; Blackburn Branch of Retail Fruit Federation, £322; Plains of Tabor Preceptory No 110, £50; Cards and calendars, £466; Legacies, £2,500.

Queen's Park Hospital stall, £185; German improvers class, £65; BT Twinning International, £50; Clitheroe Town Council, £200; Craven Heifer quiz, Darwen, £110; Blackburn Christmas Fayre, £38.

Bank Top pool league, £175; M Cookson, Whalley, £50; Harp recital, Soroptomists International, £1,283; Blackburn tombola, £353; Crown Hotel, Darwen, £114; Heyes Chemist, Clitheroe, £17; Avon Party D Hollin, £55; B Dugdale and Son, £150.