The Martletts Hospice has been given an £18,000 cash boost to help youngsters come to terms with the death of a loved.

The money, given to the hospice in Wayfield Avenue, Hove, by the BBC's Children In Need appeal, will allow it to expand its bereavement counselling service.

Local company Argyll Insurance has topped it up by donating an extra £500 towards the cost of developing the service over the next three years.

The hospice provides care for people with terminal cancer and support for their relatives.

The money will be used to train volunteers to provide one-to-one support to children and young people faced by the loss of a close family member at the hospice.

Georgina Paget, bereavement service co-ordinator at the hospice, said: "This is fantastic news for us.

"These funds not only secure the future of our current service but mean that it can now be expanded to help more children and young people.

"This extra capacity is much needed as we are one of very few providers of bereavement counselling in Brighton and Hove."

A spokeswoman for Children In Need said: "The service will really benefit children who are trying to cope with the devastating effects of a bereavement in the family."

Argyll group chairman Kevin Young said: "It is marvellous that the fund-raising efforts of the staff of Argyll will be making such a real difference."