CELEBRITY chef Nisha Katona has backed Clatterbridge Cancer Charity's Big Lego Hospital by placing a brick monkey figure on the giant toy structure.

The restaurater visited the Royal Albert Dock Liverpool today to see the model, which is on show until Tuesday.

The hospital charity commissioned the Lego Hospital, which will feature half a million of the popular children's bricks, to raise money for its new centre, currently under construction in Liverpool city centre.

When complete, the model will measure 1.6m x 2.8m x 1.6m high.

It will contain more than 100 rooms and 200 mini figures – such as nurses, doctors and construction workers - in the completed model.

Members of the public can buy a brick for £1 as part of the fundraising campaign, which aims to raise £500,000 towards construction of the specialist hospital and improvements to the Wirral site.

Nisha, founder of Liverpool-based Mowgli Street Food group, is a long-standing supporter of The Clatterbridge Cancer Charity.

She placed a LEGO monkey figure on the giant structure, to represent Mowgli's logo.

The company has raised more than £88,000 for The Clatterbridge Cancer Charity through a scheme where customers at their Bold Street restaurant in Liverpool are given the opportunity to add a discretionary £1 to their bill as a donation.

Nisha, a former barrister, said: "At Mowgli, charity is very much part of our ethos, and together with our customers we are very proud of the money raised for The Clatterbridge Cancer Charity and we are delighted to be part of this project.

"As a region one in two of us will live with cancer in some way.

"It is extremely important we do as much as we can to help.

"It is magnificent our clients make these donations and our staff often give up their tips for Clatterbridge as well.

"The model of the new hospital is incredible. It engages every age group. I'm 47 and I could stay and play with it all day!"

Katrina Bury, head of The Clatterbridge Cancer Charity, said: "Nisha and all the team at Mowgli Street Food in Bold Street, together with their customers, have raised an incredible amount of money to help transform cancer care for people in the region.

"What better way to celebrate this wonderful achievement than by having a permanent reminder of that support on our model for years to come."

Clare Rawlinson, marketing manager at Royal Albert Dock Liverpool, said: "When we were asked to host The Big LEGO® Brick Hospital here at the Dock, we jumped at the chance.

"It's a fantastic appeal to get behind and aligns with the Dock's own ambitions in reaching out and supporting the local community.

"We encourage visitors to come and help The Clatterbridge Cancer Charity build to success."

To buy a brick go to www.clatterbridgecc.nhs.uk/charity/LEGOBrick