ETHE fight against cancer received a huge tonic today with news that the area is set for a £2million lottery boost to help treat hundreds of East Lancashire patients.

The Lancashire and Lakeland Radiotherapy Unit at Royal Preston Hospital has been invited to bid for cash from the Government's New Opportunities Fund to buy specialist equipment used in the treatment of cancer and turn it into a rival for the Christie Hospital, Manchester. The money will pay for a second Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) scanner for use in the speedy diagnosis of cancer and a fourth linear accelerator machine to deliver radiotherapy to sufferers.

The unit's third linear accelerator will treat hundreds of East Lancashire patients when it begins operating in January.

Bosses today said that the £2million boost - which should be rubber-stamped in November - would provide facilities for even more patients from the east of the county, slash waiting lists and turn the Preston unit into a cancer centre of excellence.

Cancer patients from East Lancashire will be able to receive outpatient treatment in Preston rather than travelling more than 40 miles to the Christie for overnight stays - although East Lancashire patients are expected to receive a choice in where they receive radiotherapy.

East Lancashire patients suffering from breast, lung, gastro-intestinal, urinary, gynaecological and bone cancer as well as leukaemia will be treated at Preston next year.

Money will also be used to purchase a new ultrasound scanner and X-ray equipment at Accrington Victoria Hospital and replacement X-ray machines at Blackburn Infirmary.

Dr Graham Read, Royal Preston Hospital's director of specialist services, said the new equipment could put an end to waiting lists for cancer patients. He said: "Cancer sufferers in East Lancashire are currently treated at Christie's, but will now be able to come to Royal Preston.

"We will be able to provide a first-class service to local people, with more clinics and consultants. We might even be able to do away with waiting lists altogether. We will be creating a centre of excellence for Lancashire in the treatment of cancer."

Cancer patient Jeremy Watson, 37, of Hospital Cottages, Ribchester, said the cash boost was great news for local people.

He said: "More people like me will now be able to receive treatment in Preston. If I couldn't attend this unit, like many I would have to go to Christie's, which would cause me a great deal of inconvenience and travelling."

The new equipment will allow Royal Preston Hospital to treat up to 40 extra cancer patients a day, as well as rare forms of the disease.

The New Opportunities Fund was set up to distribute proceeds from the lottery to health, education and the environment. Bosses at Royal Preston Hospital hope to hear if their bid has been successful within the next few weeks.

Last year the fight against cancer was boosted when an MRI scanner was installed at Blackburn Infirmary after more than £1million was raised by the East Lancashire SuperScan Appeal, supported by the Lancashire Evening Telegraph.

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