A Gloucestershire hospice is now powered by the sun, after 172 solar panels were installed last month.

The panels were installed at Longfield Community Hospice in Minchinhampton by Cotswold Energy, thanks to a generous grant from Severn Trent Community Fund.

Longfield expects to save around £7,826 per year in energy bills. Any surplus energy generated will be returned to the National Grid in exchange for reduced payments.

The savings mean the charity can support even more local families in urgent need of its services, including end-of-life care in the home, bereavement counselling and support groups for patients and carers.

Debbie Linton, Longfield's head of compliance and estates, said: "Longfield has cared for our community for over 35 years - and we're committed to caring for our environment too. We're proud to say that over half of the energy we use from now on will be solar powered."

In the first week of operation, the panels created more electricity than Longfield needed - a saving of £412 if all the supply had been used.

With expected rises in electricity costs, this solar investment could provide a lifetime saving (20 years) of over £250,000 for the hospice and prevent 194 tons of harmful CO2 emissions.

Jade Gough, Community Fund officer at Severn Trent, said: "Longfield Hospice makes a huge difference for people with life-limiting diagnoses and their families across Gloucestershire, through their specialist care and support.

"We're so pleased we've been able to support them with this project to help reduce energy bills, so that their resources can be focused on hospice care in the home, counselling and other patient-focused services."