A WIDOW has realised a dream she shared with her late husband now planners have approved Worcester's first children's hospice on her land.

June Sayce, aged 76, and late husband, Willie, were the toast of the city today after councillors unanimously granted permission for the £6m respite centre.

The couple had rejected a fortune offered by developers interested in the land, which lies between Wheatfield Avenue and Norton Close, off Bath Road, and signed it over to the hospice.

The 10-bed Acorns Children's Hospice unit will offer residential respite care for youngsters with life-limiting conditions.

Millionaire benefactor, Cecil Duckworth, has already pledged £750,000 towards the project.

"There's a desperate need for our service in Worcestershire, Herefordshire and north Gloucestershire and we're finding it difficult to help families there," said Acorns' Mike Cartledge.

The Sayces, who have no immediate family, were adamant that there would be "no houses" on the land.

"We often saw sick children on the television and Willie would remark how awful it must be for their parents," said Mrs Sayce.

"We'd been approached many times by developers wanting our land for houses but Willie was adamant - no houses," she added.

The family's solicitor, David Hallmark, told the couple about Acorns, which was searching for a city site.

"We knew almost at once that this was what we wanted - a children's hospice on our land," said Mrs Sayce.

"Willie said to me one day soon after we signed over the land to Acorns, 'June I know what I want, I want Acorns here and if I die tomorrow I know everything is in order' - and he died later that day.

"I'm thrilled now that the planning has been agreed and, although it's going to take a lot of money to build the hospice, I know now that what Willie and I set out to do will be accomplished."