Christmas has come early for the East Lancashire Hospice Appeal, as young artists from Darwen schools have drawn up new ways to raise cash.

Moorland High School pupils Laura Marlow and Carly Ainsworth and Darwen Vale pupils Lucy Harrison and Jenny Collister have all produced fun designs for Christmas cards.

Steve Shread, of Academy Print and Design, has agreed to sponsor the project.

He showed the girls around their premises at Burnley Road, Altham, where 5,000 copies of each design will be printed.

The cards will be sold in the schools and at the hospice at Park Lee, Blackburn, to raise cash for the appeal for better day care facilities.

If you have any ideas and want to help the appeal in any way, call the East Lancashire Hospice Appeals Office on 01254 660900 or Amy Binns at the Lancashire Evening Telegraph on 01254 678678 ext 208.

Donations can be made at any Natwest branch into the East Lancashire Hospice Fund Day Care Unit Appeal account, sort code 01-00-85 a/c 12804509.