PLANS to build a £2.25 million hospice in Kidderminster have been met with a "staggering" response.

Last week's Shuttle/Times and News exclusively revealed proposals to build a state-of-the-art purpose-built centre to replace the existing Kemp Hospice by March 2003.

And Kemp fund-raising manager Christine Tober said the charity, which cares for people with cancer and other life-threatening illnesses, had been besieged with calls from dozens of people already pledging hundreds of pounds towards the cause.

The new centre will contain a five-bed unit to cater for cancer patients requiring palliative and respite care, as well as their families, overnight.

Mrs Tober said: "Although we are not going public with our official fund-raising effort until we have reached £1.5 million, it is very encouraging to have such an immediate and generous response.

"It bodes well that people appear so keen to help and everybody we have spoken to seems delighted by the news."