THE SEVEN charity shops run by the Prospect Hospice in Swindon have raised more than £500,000 over the last year.

It is the first time the shops have passed the half million pound mark.

Prospect general manager David Line said: "I'm thrilled that the shops' operation has performed so magnificently over recent years and this very important milestone has been reached.

"We owe a huge thank you to the wider community who have continuously supported the Prospect shops by providing excellent donated clothing, bric-a-brac and other goods.

"Their success is also due to the dedication and team of shop managers and volunteers who have made this superb achievement possible."

The Prospect Hospice shops are based in Swindon, Gorse Hill, Marlborough, Wroughton, Wootton Bassett and Pewsey.

The hospice is based in Wroughton and provides care for the terminally ill and their families.

The service is free so the hospice depends on donations and fundraising to cover its £1.7 million budget.

In recent years the charity has invested in refurbishing all its shops, which sell a variety of second-hand products.