CELEBRITY chef Marco Pierre White brought a gift for the families of children who spend time at Claire House when he visited the hospice this week.

The father-of-four toured the Clatterbridge-based hospice on Thursday and offered a night's free accommodation at his venues – The Swan Inn in Aughton, Lancashire and Doubletree by Hilton Chester – to the families of several of the children who stay at the hospice.

Afterwards the star of TV's Kitchen Burnout, said: "It was humbling to meet so many children who face difficulties every single day.

"As a father of four children I cannot begin to imagine the pressure these families are under."

Shelley and Paul Hazlehurst from Ormskirk, Lancashire, whose son Nathan, 13, regularly visits Claire House as he suffers from cerebral palsy and epilepsy, will be wined and dined for the evening at one of his venues.

Shelley said: "Claire House provides wonderful support but it will be lovely to enjoy a night of relaxation. The children were so excited to meet him."

Debbie Simpson, of Deeside, whose three-year-old daughter Molly passed away two years ago, said: "Despite losing Molly, Claire House still provide wonderful support to myself, my husband Brian and Molly's brother and sister Rhys and Alicia and we still regularly visit. It was lovely to meet Marco."

Marco added: "I wanted to help these families in some small way by offering an evening away."

Marco also donated stays at forthcoming venues in Liverpool and Wirral, due to open next year, for Claire House fundraising events including a ball which takes place in December.

He was in the area to visit his venues The Swan Inn and Hotel Indigo, currently under construction in Liverpool city centre.