BUDDHIST nuns could make their home in the Malvern Hills if plans to set up a £3m nunnery and clinic for complementary medicine come to fruition.

Venerable Tsuiltrim Tenzin Choesang - who was ordained by Tibetan spiritual leader Dalai Lama - about eight years ago - is currently looking for funding for the ambitious project, which she hopes will get off the ground in 18 months.

The nunnery would be one of the first of its kind in the Europe run by Tibetan Buddhist nuns and be home to at least six initially from across the continent, with the work of the clinic funding their activities.

The clinic itself would offer treatments such as reflexology and reiki as well as those given by chiropractors and osteopaths.

And Kent-born Venerable Choesang hopes to be able to use the clinic to complement NHS programmes for treating illnesses such as MS, chronic fatigue syndrome and stress-related conditions.

She has students working on various aspects and has been approached by health professionals interested in getting involved.

She added: "I've always been involved in healing and a lot of my students are healing professionals so it seemed natural.

"The clinic is going to have a wide remit and obviously it has to make money because we have to live but we want to put in a fair price structure.

"It'll be an educational place for alternative therapies and teach Buddhism from that site."

Venerable Choesang used to work in the horticulture industry and, more recently, as a senior manager for an American company, initially turning to Buddhism in the 60s.

Since moving back to the Malvern Hills - which she has been walking since she was a teenager - in May from Buckinghamshire she has already converted part of her home into a small temple with a vaulted ceiling.

And last month she began weekly meditation sessions there, with about 15 people coming along each time to meditate and learn Buddhism.

She is currently looking at bringing meditation sessions into workplaces in the area.

She is also hoping to incorporate an open meditation hall into the nunnery and clinic project where people could come along and meditate without an appointment as at present.

She added: "I want the clinic to be a really big place because I don't think we can offer a lot otherwise.

"It's quite amazing actually how many people have got in touch and I think the nearer we get to it being a reality then the more people will come along and get involved."