OLYMPIC athlete Darren Campbell helped launch a Gwent charity's huge annual lottery fundraising draw.

The St David's Foundation hopes its Super Draw lottery, which will be held in March, will net the charity around £50,000 in vital funding.

The charity has to raise around 80 per cent of its funding through fundraising activities.

It provides free specialist care to more than 2,400 people with cancer or other life-threatening illnesses and their families throughout Gwent.

The Super Draw will be run in conjunction with the St David's Hospice weekly lottery draw, which gives away more than £2,000 in prizes every week. The draw itself will take place on March 1.

The Olympic silver medalist said: "I am honoured to have been asked to lend my support to such a worthwhile charity.

The Hospice provides much needed specialist care and comfort to cancer patients and their families at home and I would urge everyone to dig deep and buy a ticket.

"After all, it's only a pound and you have the chance of winning £5,000."

St David's Hospice chief executive Emma Saysell said: "From the proceeds of the Super Draw we would be able to fund a month of hospice at home care for our patients, which equates to £50,000.

"There is an ever-increasing need to provide this care and only a small amount of NHS funding available."

Anyone wanting to purchase tickets can do so from the St David's Foundation Hospice Care charity shops or by calling 01633271364.