THE country's second hospice for babies could soon be opening in the North-East.

The hospice - called Zoe's Place, because Zoe means life in Greek - will be modelled on a pioneering venture of the same name in Liverpool and is run by the charity Life.

If planners give permission, it will be created at a former convent on Normanby High Street, Teesside.

The charity has submitted a planning application to Redcar and Cleveland Borough Council.

The hospice will have six beds and provide a home-from-home for children up to the age of four who need respite and terminal care.

Margaret Barron, Life's Caring Officer for the North-East, explained: "The children can come for half a day up to two weeks to give their parents a break or to spend time with other children."

Zoe's Place will help youngsters with multiple handicaps who are often unable to walk, talk or feed themselves.

Specialist paediatric nurses and care assistants will be employed and there will be medical back up from a local GP.

The hospice will cost £350,000 a year to run and donations are already being sought from companies wanting to sponsor cots or pieces of equipment.

Mrs Barron said a good relationship existed between the Liverpool hospitals and Zoe's Place, and the charity hoped this would extend to Teesside.

She added that Redcar and Cleveland Borough Council, had offered excellent help and support.

Graham Leggatt-Chidgey, chief executive of the Butterwick Children's Hospice, in Stockton, welcomed the expansion of health care in the region.

He said: "I would need to know more to respond positively, but I think their client group is not the same as ours."

Redcar and Cleveland Council said if there were no objections from local people, the go-ahead could be given before Christmas, otherwise it would go before the first full planning committee meeting in the New Year