A cancer centre to support sufferers and their families is to be set up in North Lanarkshire.

The facility will be the latest in a series of Maggie's Centres.

The centre will be built in the grounds of Wishaw Hospital in association with NHS Lanarkshire.

An award of �555,000 from the New Opportunities Fund has enabled the Maggie's Centre Organisation to plan for a centre which will open within two years.

People throughout the region will soon receive the support needed Laura Lee Maggie's Organisation

A further �208,000 has also come to the NHS in Lanarkshire to establish a cancer information network across the county.

The fund distributes National Lottery good cause money to health, education and environment projects.

The Lanarkshire centre will be the sixth of its kind in Scotland run by the Maggie's Organisation, founded by Maggie Keswick Jencks and guided by her experiences as a cancer patient.

It will provide a research-based programme of emotional and psychological support, information and stress reduction services

The aim will be to see at least twenty visitors per day by the end of year one of operation.

'Wonderful news'

Laura Lee, chief executive of the centres, said: "By working in partnership with NHS Lanarkshire people throughout the region will soon receive the support needed to help them and their families adjust to living with cancer.

"We are grateful for the backing of the New Opportunities Fund which has provided a positive start to our fund raising."

Dr Charlie Clark, consultant public health physician at NHS Lanarkshire Board, who has led the bid to build a Maggie's Centre, said: "This is wonderful news for everyone affected by cancer in Lanarkshire.

"The philosophy of Maggie's Cancer Caring Centre exactly matches what people in Lanarkshire have said they need to help them actively participate in the treatment of their disease."

Cancer information pages are being developed on the NHS Lanarkshire website and a network of points where people can access support and information locally is being established.