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A prostate cancer centre of excellence is set to open at Queen's University Belfast (QUB) after it received a £1.6m donation.

The university said it was one of the largest single donations in its history.

The money will build on QUB's existing cancer research programme, funding clinical trial staff, lab scientists and PhD students.

In Northern Ireland nearly 300 men die from prostate cancer each year.

It is the most common cancer among men in the UK.

The donation was made by a local charitable trust, set up by a donor who had been part of a previous clinical trial at the university.

It will be used to establish a clinical research facility at the Patrick G Johnston Centre for cancer research.

University Vice-Chancellor Prof Ian Greer said the money would be "truly transformational" to prostate cancer research at QUB, for patients in Northern Ireland and across the world.

"Our research activity has global impact and I am very excited to see the life-changing discoveries and outcomes that this centre of excellence will produce," he said.

Professor of Clinical Oncology Suneil Jain, who is co-leading the research project, said the donation would enable "more cutting-edge" clinical trials for patients to "develop the cancer treatments of the future".

Professor of Radiation Oncology Joe O'Sullivan said he hoped the work carried out at the facility would "benefit men and their families who are facing their own very personal prostate cancer journeys".

The Prostate Cancer Centre of Excellence will link world-class research at QUB with clinical trials at the Belfast Health and Social Care Trust and the Northern Ireland Cancer Centre.