Babe will be the campaign's new figurehead

Keynsham author Dick King-Smith has agreed that his character Babe can be the figurehead for the campaign.

Around �4m has already been raised for the new building, which will benefit children from across the South West.

At present sick and disabled children from Bristol have to travel to Devon for respite care.

Babe, which tells to the story of a pig raised by sheepdogs, who learns to herd sheep with a little help from the farmer, was a box office hit.

Eddie and Jill Farwell set up the Little Bridge House hospice in Devon in 1995, but soon realised demand was so great another one was needed for Bristol.

Mrs Farwell said: "We know of families in the Bristol area who can't get to Devon because of the distances involved."