THE site earmarked for a £4m children's hospice development in Worcester has been officially opened.

Acorns Children's Hospice Trust has begun laying the foundations in Bath Road with the development of temporary offices, car park, new fencing, shrubbery and trees.

And to mark this historic first step, the cutting of the ribbon ceremony was performed by June Sayce, who along with her late husband, Willie, donated the £1.4m site to the charity.

Mrs Sayce was delighted with the progress made so far and said she was looking forward to having the hospice staff on site.

"It was my husband's and my dream to see this land used as a children's hospice and I'm thrilled the dream is becoming more and more of a reality," she said.

The 10-bed respite centre is set to care for youngsters with life-limiting conditions and is being underwritten to the tune of £750,000 by millionaire benefactor Cecil Duckworth.

The hospice is set to open in 2004.

It will have accommodation for families, a hydrotherapy pool, multi-sensory room, landscaped gardens and 10 bedrooms for children and teenagers.

"We already support 50 families in the three counties," said John Overton, Acorns' chief executive.

"But we know that there are as many more who desperately need our services.

"When the new hospice is open, no one in this area need ever face the tragedy of losing a child alone again."