WORK has officially started on a new state of-the-art guide dog training centre.

Culture Secretary Andy Burnham yesterday cut the first sod at the new £6.5 million centre in Atherton.

The MP for Leigh laid a foundation stone and then spoke about the importance of the project.

He said: “It is a very important development, and I have seen first-hand, through working with David Blunkett, just how crucial guide dogs can be for blind and partially-sighted people.

“The charity now needs more funds to supply equipment for the centre, but we are lucky that people are so generous and kind hearted in this area.

“I'm very proud that the new centre is coming to this area and I want to continue to work with the Guide Dogs in partnership with schools and other local organisations to give them a great future.”

Mr Burnham was joined at the ceremony by civic guests, blind people and their dogs, puppies with volunteer walkers and Guide Dogs staff.

The centre is being built in Gibfield Park, and will help transform the lives of hundreds of blind people in Bolton and the North-west when it opens next year.

The multi-million pound facility will replace the 50-year-old training school at Nuffield House in Lowndes Street, Heaton.

The centre will train up 345 guide dogs a year, compared to 260 at the moment, thanks to more kennel space and all-weather training facilities.

The charity’s national operations director, Stephen Kirk, said: “This centre will provide training for pups that will be used across the whole of the north of England.

“It will be a state-of-the-art in terms of dog care and welfare.

“There will be a huge indoor training centre which will enable us to provide top class training, come rain or shine. Mr Burnham has been a supporter of the charity for a long time and it is very good of him to come down to lend his support.”

The charity has launched an appeal to raise £650,000 to provide the centre with everything, from exercise ramps to a hydrotherapy unit for injured dogs, to technology that monitors behaviour and matches dogs to suitable owners.

The building is due to open next May, with the Bolton centre’s 28 dog trainers and support staff moving over.

To find out how you can help the charity, call 0870 600 2323 or go to www.guidedog