Sir Kyffin Williams is a renowned artist

Sir Kyffin Williams has donated a colour painting of Harlech Castle in Gwynedd.

Fundraisers for Ty Gobaith, a new hospice due to open at Ty'n y Groes near Conwy next year, hope the painting will earn thousands of pounds for the cause.

Ty Gobaith will be the first children's hospice to care for youngsters throughout north Wales.

The five-bed unit will allow terminally ill children and their families to get respite care closer to home, saving them the journey to Hope House, a sister hospice in Oswestry, Shropshire.

Charity fundraiser Eluned Yaxley, from Ruthin, said Sir Kyffin's pictures were worth a lot.

Ty Gobaith will cost �300,000 to run when it opens next year

"We haven't got a reserve price as yet but we're hoping somebody will show an avid interest.

"We would like to raise between �1,500 and �2,000 - more if possible.

"A local man, John Howatson, wrote to Sir Kyffin and asked if he would donate. Sir Kyffin is very, very supportive," she added.

The auction has been organised by the Ruthin branch of hospice fundraisers.

In the past 12 months they have raised �18,000 for the charity.

The hospice at the former Conwy Valley Nurseries site is due to open in 2004 and a target of �2m has been set to pay for the building and furnishing of the hospice.

It is estimated it will then cost about �300,000 a year to run Ty Gobaith and up to 95 per cent of the money will be sought by the fund-raising team.

"We're over the halfway mark," said Ms Yaxley.

"We've raised �1m already. We're hoping to have the roof on the hospice by the end of October and we hope to open next summer."