WIRRAL-educated James Bond star Daniel Craig has been announced as a new ambassador for Liverpool Heart and Chest Hospital (LHCH) Charity.

The actor joins the hospital charity in a special year for the NHS, as it celebrates its 75th birthday.

LHCH Charity partners Liverpool Heart and Chest Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, the twice 'outstanding'-rated specialist cardiothoracic centre.

With his own strong connections to Merseyside and Cheshire - areas served by the hospital - Daniel, who played James Bond five times, understood the outstanding and understated work of LHCH Charity, its impact and ambitious future plans, and expressed interest in learning more.

It was thanks to this growing interest and subsequent desire to support its work further, that Daniel agreed to join LHCH as an ambassador.

Daniel - who was born in Chester and moved to Wirral in 1972 where he was educated at a primary school in Hoylake and later Hilbre High School in West Kirby - said: "The Liverpool Heart and Chest Hospital is an internationally recognised centre of excellence for the care and treatment of people living with heart and lung diseases.

"The LHCH Charity supports this work by providing funds so that their patients can have access to the very latest equipment and technology, as well as funding new research that will change the way heart and lung diseases are treated; not just now, but in our futures.

"It is a privilege for me to support their incredible work."

Mary Liley, head of fundraising for LHCH Charity, said: "We're so excited to be welcoming Daniel as an ambassador.

"As one of the most recognisable actors of our generation, Daniel's support will help us raise the profile of the charity and will also highlight how every generous donation funds specialist medical equipment, research and other amenities that benefit the hospital’s patients and families.

"We're so grateful to have him as part of the LHCH Charity team."