CANCER CENTRE WILL CUT TRAVEL by LIZA WILLIAMS.

Byline: LIZA WILLIAMS

WORK started today on Liverpool's new pounds 17m radiotherapy centre.

The development will mean cancer sufferers can be treated without travelling to Wirral.

The project is a collaboration between Clatterbridge Centre for Oncology and the Walton Centre, in Fazakerley, where the facility is being built.

The Marina Dalglish Appeal is raising pounds 5m towards the costs.

Mrs Dalglish - wife of football legend Kenny - was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2004.

She has nothing but praise for the doctors and nurses at Clatterbridge who looked after her, but said the journey across the water is difficult.

The charity is running a buy-a-brick campaign to help reach the pounds 5m target.

Mrs Dalglish said: "We are absolutely delighted work has started on the new radiotherapy centre, which is going to be the most up-to-date in the UK.

"We'd like to thank everybody who has donated, but we still have money to raise."

It is a national recommendation patients should not travel more than 45 minutes for radiotherapy.

At the moment, two-thirds of cancer patients in Merseyside and Cheshire live north of the River Mersey, where there is no other radiotherapy provision.

The oncology centre's own specialist radiographers and doctors will run the centre, which will house three cutting edge radiotherapy treatment machines, expert cancer rehabilitation and support services.

Clatterbridge chief executive Andrew Cannell said: "The project team behind this investment has worked tirelessly to ensure the finished facility will be the best it possibly can be for a simple reason - it will hugely benefit Merseyside cancer patients".. To buy a brick for pounds 5, go to www.marinadalglishappeal.org HIGH-TECH: An artist's impression of the new cancer treatment centre in Liverpool

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HIGH-TECH: An artist's impression of the new cancer treatment centre in Liverpool