A CHARITY that takes care of North East cancer patients in their hour of need is to expand its services.

Daft as a Brush, which was set up by millionaire hotelier Brian Burnie, is celebrating moving its control centre from Newcastle’s Hood Street into the Northern Centre for Cancer Care in Newcastle’s Freeman Hospital.

The charity aims to take cancer patients living in the region to and from hospital for their appointments, free-of-charge, in their specially adapted ambulances.

Now the charity will be able to work even closer with staff at the Northern Centre for Cancer Care since being given a room in the centre to work from.

“I think it is fantastic,” said founder Mr Burnie. “It is going to be the control centre, all the movement of the ambulances and staff will be organised from the hospital.

“Only being a few minutes away will be fantastic as we will be able to respond a lot faster to their requirements.

“I think as the trial has gone on the hospital has been much more relaxed and confident in the service we can provide for patients and for them.”