A MASSIVE fundraising campaign was launched today with a star-studded event at The Rock in Bury.

Celebrities were at Debenhams to pledge their support for an appeal to raise £2.5million for the new Bury Hospice site.

The two-year campaign, which is being backed by the Bury and Radcliffe Times, hopes to find the remaining cash needed to build the new centre at the former St Bede’s Church in Rochdale Old Road.

Amongst the stars at today’s event was actor Ben Thompson, who plays teenager Ryan Connor in Coronation Street.

Eighteen-year-old Ben, from Radcliffe said: “I know a lot of people who have had a fantastic service at the hospice, a lot of my close family members. The hospice is something in my community that I have always been aware of and backing this campaign is my chance to do my bit.”

The charity, which cares for teminally-ill people from across the borough, has out-grown its current building in Dumers Lane, Radcliffe.

Half the money needed to build, equip and open the centre has already been raised.

The hospice now wants the public to come up with original fundraising events to help raise the extra £2.5million, as well as the £1.8million needed to run the centre each year.