A HARRY Potter actor has teamed up with a Bolton MP to help end of life charity Marie Curies support those with terminal illness.

Jason Isaacs and Yasmin Qureshi are backing the Great Daffodil Appeal, Marie Curie's biggest annual fundraising campaign held every March.

The campaign, which celebrates its 35th anniversary this month, has had to cancel all public collections - leaving the charity with a potential loss of more than £3 million.

Jason Isaacs, who played Lucius Malfoy in the Harry Potter film franchise, became a Marie Curie Ambassador in 2018.

He said: "Marie Curie does amazing things, and when people don't have the family members around, they provide love.

"Towards the end of life, they help the end to be as serene and beautiful and loving as it can be. The work Marie Curie do is needed now more than ever as the Covid-19 pandemic has had a big impact on their ability to fundraise."

The last 12 months have been difficult for the charity as key fundraising events have been cancelled and all Marie Curie's charity shops have had to close during lockdown.

Meanwhile, the charity saw a 16.5 per cent rise in the number of people they cared for at end of life last year, compared to 2019, and their support line saw a 20 per cent increase in calls.

MP Yasmin Qureshi pledged her support to the Great Daffodil Appeal and is encouraging local people to donate and wear one of the charity's daffodil pins to help fund vital care and support for people living with a terminal illness, and their families.

The Labour representative for Bolton South East said: "Every five minutes, someone in the UK dies without getting the care and support they need at the end of their life, and that also has an impact on those they leave behind who are grieving. Without your help, Marie Curie nurses can't give vital care to dying people their families."

Launched in 1986, the Great Daffodil Appeal is crucial in raising much-needed funds to enable the charity to continue providing nursing and hospice care, a freephone support line and information for people living with any terminal illness - including terminal cancer, dementia, heart failure, and motor neurone disease.