AN impressive £14,000 was raised for Bolton Hospice from the charity's annual Christmas bumper draw.

This year's draw raised £14,863 towards compassionate and specialist care for people across Bolton facing life-limiting illnesses.

This figure is £5,000 more than has been raised in previous draws and will pay for 47 hours of care.

Kerry Formston, lottery co-ordinator for Bolton Hospice, said she was delighted with the fundraising.

She said: “This success is in part due to the incredible support of local people and businesses who took tickets to sell across the community on our behalf.

"The funds raised through this year’s draw will help us to provide compassionate care for local people facing life-limiting illnesses and their families this Christmas.”

Leigh Vallance, chief executive of Bolton Hospice, added: "We are grateful to everyone who has helped to make the draw such a success and the beauty of this for me, particularly at Christmas time, is that everybody gains some benefit, I am truly grateful to all of our supporters and in particular the high regard the community has for our work.”

It costs £420 per hour to run Bolton Hospice, and for every year it provides its services, it has to fundraise the first £315 of every hour, of every day, of every year.

This year’s bumper draw gave participants the chance to win a top prize of £1,000, with a number of fantastic smaller prizes including luxury hampers and loveable soft toy penguins Monty and Mabel from the John Lewis Christmas Advert.

A full list of all the winners can be find on the hospice’s website at www.boltonhospice.org.uk.