STAFF, builders and fund-raisers were celebrating at an official ceremony to mark a "major milestone" in a £4m building project for a new hospice in Worcester.

The new Acorns Children's Hospice, being built in Bath Road, near the city centre, was officially "topped out" yesterday by Andy Keast, who coached Worcester Rugby Club into the Premiership.

The traditional topping out ceremony celebrated the roof being placed on the highest part of the building.

At the event, Mr Keast toasted the hard work, both on and off the site, to turn the dream of a hospice into bricks and mortar.

"The club has had a very successful year and we have reached the top, so we are here today to share Acorns' celebrations at also reaching the top," he said.

He was joined by William and Daisy Elt, aged eight and 10, whose mother, Liz, originally wrote to Worcester Rugby Club chairman Cecil Duckworth, asking him to support an Acorns mothers' group.

It was this letter that triggered Mr Duckworth's interest in Acorns and that, in turn, was a catalyst for the hospice in Worcester.

The hospice will provide "invaluable" help and support for more than 250 life-limited children from Worcestershire, Herefordshire and Gloucestershire.

Widow June Sayce, who donated the land on which the hospice is being built to fulfil the dying wishes of her late husband Willie, pleaded with Evening News readers to keep donating cash.

"My plea is that your readers keep fund-raising as much as possible as we still need £750,000 to complete the building," she said.

"After it's completed we still want fund-raising because it's not the end of the story - it will cost £1m every year to fund the running of the hospice."

The news comes as kind-hearted posties from Birmingham have donated a massive £10,000 to the hospice.

The team from the Birmingham Mail Centre have been holding regular fund-raising events for Acorns over the past 14 years, including dance nights, sponsored runs and casino nights, and even donated some of their own overtime bonuses.

The state-of-the art hospice will be completed by the end of November, welcoming families early next year.

To make a donation call 01905 767676 or click on to www.acorns.org.uk