A £5,000 windfall is set to swell the Kemp Hospice Appeal after Kidderminster Carnival organisers chose the hospice as its annual charity.

The 10-member carnival committee has decided all money raised at the June 21 event and a concert eight days earlier will go towards the appeal.

Last year Headway Wyre Forest - which helps people who have suffered brain damage - received £5,000 from carnival proceeds.

Committee chairman Colin Hill predicted people would give generously with the finishing post in sight for the appeal.

Work will start by the end of the month on converting the former Cedars Hotel on Kidderminster's Mason Road into a bigger and better day care centre by early summer.

And buying the building means the original £2.2 million target - to pay for an entirely new hospice - can be slashed by almost £1 million.

More than £650,000 has been raised or pledged so far.

Mr Hill said the carnival has donated cash to Kemp at least twice before.

He added: "We felt as this year they were making such strides forward with the creation of an in-patient hospice it was something we should support."

But Mr Hill pointed out the final total handed over from the carnival depended on whether a lottery bid was successful.

Last year the carnival received £3,000 from Awards for All and is bidding for the same amount again.

The cash covers the cost of putting on entertainment, such as bands, meaning all money collected from carnival-goers and raised from stalls can go towards the nominated charity.

Mr Hill said he hoped the day-long event in the town centre and Brinton Park would be "bigger and better" this year.

Hospice manager Michael Rowan welcomed the pledge of support.

"Kemp exists because of the generosity of local people over the years and its growth and development depends on them.

"The carnival donation will allow Kemp to move forward significantly in developing its services."