A NEW cancer support centre has celebrated reaching highest point of construction with a topping out ceremony.

Maggies, which is being built in the grounds of Southampton General Hospital, will be a welcoming place offering free practical and emotional support for anyone living with cancer as well as their family and friends.

The charity’s chief executive, Dame Laura Lee, led the topping out ceremony after construction reached the highest point.

She said: "I have led Maggie's since the inception of the charity in 1998 and have overseen the development of all our centres across the UK, online and abroad.

"Our vision is to help people be informed participants in their medical treatment, offer stress reducing strategies, psychological support and the opportunity to meet other people in similar circumstances in a relaxed, warm atmosphere.

"I am absolutely delighted that our newest centre will be open to help cancer patients and their families in Southampton later this year.”

The centre still needs to raise another £1 million to allow them to open their doors in the autumn.

Gemma McKnight, fundraising manager for Maggies Southampton said: “We have had so much fantastic support both locally and nationally with £4 million raised so far, allowing us to start the building work.

"We want this momentum to continue and will be holding fundraising activities throughout the rest of the year that we hope local people, businesses, schools and community organisations will get involved with.”