MONEY raised in memory of the late Allan Burgess will be used to help provide a pre-school group for disabled youngsters.

Nearly £2,000 has been donated to the fund, which was set up by the popular former Wanstead councillor's family after his death from cancer last April.

His family has already given £400 of this to the Margaret Centre hospice at Whipps Cross University Hospital where Cllr Burgess spent the final days of his life, and to the Helen Rollason cancer charity - but the remaining £1,000 has been set aside to start up the new pre-school service at Wanstead House.

His daughter, mother-of-two Fiona Moulson, said the education of disabled children was a cause close to her father's heart.

She said: "Dad was always interested in services which give disabled children help to get on in life.

"We hope that a room will be made available at Wanstead House for us to use for the group.

"We now need parents to come forward to tell us what they want the group to provide for their children so we know what to spend the money on.

"There aren't many services like this for disabled children around here, so we believe it would play an important role."

"We are so grateful to all of the people who gave money to the fund."