CHORLEY MP Lindsay Hoyle is fighting for central government funding for Derian House Children's Hospice, one of the busiest in the country.

The Labour MP has stepped up his campaign on behalf of all such hospices by highlighting the needs of Derian House.

He pressed the case when he questioned Health Secretary Patricia Hewitt in the Commons where he said the fact that Derian House takes in children from all over the country should mean more central funding.

The hospice, in Astley Village, cares for children with terminal illness and helps their families. It currently needs more than £1.4m a year in running costs, the vast majority of which comes from donations.

Mr Hoyle said: "Funding for hospices should not be down to the local primary care commissioners alone.

"Derian House takes children from as far away as London and Scotland so we should ensure more direct funding from the NHS to ease the burden locally.

"We have to ensure that hospices such as Derian House are able to continue with their excellent standard of care without having to worry every day about raising funds."

Trevor Briggs, who manages Derian House, said: "We are one of the busiest hospices in the country yet we receive one of the lowest statutory contributions. At the moment the only primary care trust that contributes to our running costs is our host one, Chorley and South Ribble."