HOSPICE has received a welcome financial boost from the Tesco Express store in Little Sutton.

The Hospice of the Good Shepherd, opened by Princess Diana, was handed a cheque for £500 by staff at the store in New Chester Road.

The presentation was part of a special opening ceremony, where Amanda Le Bretton, assistant fundraiser for the Backford-based hospice cut a ribbon to declare the store officially open.

The donation was made after employees at the store heard about the hospice's ongoing plight to raise funds.

The hospice provides specialised nursing care, free of charge, for people suffering from cancer, Motor Neurone Disease, Multiple Sclerosis, Huntington's Chorea and AIDS.

Manager of the Tesco Express store Paul Davies said: 'I was approached by several members of staff who were very keen to make a donation to help the hospice.

'I contacted Tesco's Charities Trust and was delighted when they allocated the store £4500 to make a donation.'

Mrs Le Bretton said: 'The hospice is largely dependent on support from the local community to help us reach our annual target and we are delighted that

the new Tesco Express store has chosen us for their donation.'

The new store is part of a nationwide initiative by Tesco to provide convenience stores on the doorsteps of customers.

It offers an extensive range of fresh and chilled products, which include fruit and vegetables, fish, meat and poultry, a bakery, ready meals, pasta and sauces and a variety of dairy products.

There is also a wide range of 'food to go' which includes sandwiches, crisps, snacks, drinks and sweets.

In addition, the store stocks frozen foods, cereals, tinned foods, toiletries, flowers, magazines, newspapers plus beers, wines and spirits. Opening hours are 7am till midnight, seven days a week.