A £2million-plus state-of-the-art cancer care centre will be built at Leighton Hospital - subject to planning permission and all-important funding from generous benefactors.

Mid-Cheshire Hospitals NHS Trust (MCHT) and MacMillan Cancer Support have joined forces to draw up impressive £2.25million blueprints for an all-encompassing Oncology centre at the Crewe hospital.

The top-class centre could cater for more than 3,000 cancer patients a year, including many who currently have to travel to Manchester or Wirral for treatment.

The blueprints include:

l an outpatient suite and attractive waiting area

l a chemotherapy suite

l rooms for complementary therapies

l specialist services, including fatigue management, speech therapy and wig fitting

l a counselling service

l sessions with a fully-funded physiotherapist, occupational therapist and dietician.

l an information centre, including a 'quiet room' and drop-in centre for support and advice.

Leighton's cancer care facilities are currently spread across the hospital site. The new plans would draw them together in one place.

Colin Cadwallader, director of estates and facilities for MCHT, said: "It is really exciting to be part of a development that would enhance the excellent care provided by our cancer doctors and nurses at Leighton Hospital.

"We look forward to working with Macmillan to open this new facility by the end of 2007."

Building work could begin in the first half of 2007, subject to borough council planning permission and approval of a final business case by the Mid-Cheshire Hospitals NHS Board.

The project will also depend on financial backing from a fund-raising drive to be launched next month.

With MCHT paying £250,000, Macmillan - the name behind Macmillan Nurses - will be providing the bulk of the cash.

Director Maureen Rutter explained that while part of the finance would come from Macmillan's central funds and local Trust funds, the fund-raising drive needs to bring in around £1million.

She said: "We're delighted to be working with Leighton Hospital to provide a new Cancer Unit.

"At present local people are getting expert care and treatment but this is being given in far from ideal surroundings and we know how this can affect how people cope with their treatment.

"We are going to need to raise a substantial amount of money - up to £1million - from the local community if the building is to go ahead.

"We hope that companies, organisations and individuals will all get behind the Appeal, which we are officially launching at the beginning of September."