Oxford's world-class £109m cancer centre, which will enhance treatment for 2.5 million people across the county and beyond, is taking shape.

To ensure cancer sufferers receive the very best care when the building - at the Churchill Hospital in Headington - opens its doors next June, staff have launched a £2m fundraising campaign for patient comforts.

Cancer specialist Dr Chris Alcock said: "It was clear when I started working here 26 years ago that we had very poor facilities, even though staff were very dedicated and the care was superb.

"This new centre will provide first class, world class facilities for patients.

"But in order to make it five star, we need some extra funding."

The 217-bed centre will combine wards currently spread across the Churchill and the John Radcliffe Hospital.

It will include 10 theatres, a six-bed intensive care unit and new diagnostic and treatment equipment including six radiotherapy machines.

The fundraising will help staff invest in equipment and resources not usually paid for by the NHS, such as pressure-relieving mattresses, roof gardens and treatment room music systems.

Campaign chairman Neil Ashley, who lost his wife Jane to breast cancer 12 years ago, said: "I'm delighted to see this enhancement of patient care, as well as research and training, continue in the new centre.

"The £2m will ensure the most hi-tech equipment is available for treatment, research and training - equipment and facilities that go beyond what the NHS can normally afford."

Sandy Hayes, sister at the JR's haematology and bone marrow transplant unit, added: "Moving to the cancer centre will make a real difference to our patients.

"At the moment some of our patients get moved on to other wards at the JR. While they receive excellent treatment, they don't get the specialist care they would get on our ward.

"We see about 200 new patients and do about 70 bone marrow transplants a year and we're able to move to the Churchill because there'll be an intensive care unit just across the corridor from us."