HUNDREDS have signed up to a newly launched charity lottery for the chance to win £10,000 and raise thousands for a local hospice.

St Teresa’s Hospice, in Darlington, has launched its own fundraising lottery in the hope of building on the success of North East Hospices One Wish Lottery, which closed in March after 25 years.

And fittingly, the new lottery's first winner was a retired hospice nurse, who wished to remain anonymous.

Nicola Myers, chief executive of St Teresa’s Hospice, said: “We’re overjoyed to have had such a positive response since launching the St Teresa’s Hospice Lottery.

“After the One Wish Lottery closed, people made it clear they still wanted to support their local hospice in this way. We’ve had more than 200 people sign up since launching just a couple of weeks ago, meaning we’re well on our way to our goal of 1,000 players by Christmas.

“Together, they would be raising around £50,000 a year for St Teresa’s Hospice, and every player has the chance to win up to £10,000, making this a great way to support the vital work we do across the area.”

Players can play for just £1 per week, and stand to win a cash prize between £5 and £1,000 for matching three or more numbers. Matching six numbers guarantees a prize of £10,000.

Members of the public can join the St Teresa’s Hospice lottery by visiting the charity’s website, or any of its shops around County Durham.

Nicola added: “Throughout its lifetime, the One Wish lottery raised more than £7 million for hospices thanks to the generosity and dedication of the people of the North East.

“If our lottery can raise just a fraction of that, it would be invaluable in ensuring our services are sustainable and secure for our communities for years to come.”