BIG-hearted celebrity chef Marco Pierre White dropped into a hospice to visit children and their families.

The father-of-four toured Claire House Children’s Hospice in Wirral and offered a night’s free accommodation at his venues – Doubletree by Hilton Chester and The Swan Inn in Aughton, Lancashire – to the families of several of the children who stay at the hospice.

Marco, 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.”

Debbie Simpson, of Deeside, whose three-year-old daughter Molly died 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 and we are looking forward to a relaxing night at the hotel.”

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.