FUNDRAISERS at Haven House are celebrating after a mysterious well-wisher stepped forward to save the children's hospice from closure.

A north east London businessman gave the respite home for ill children a new lease of life after reading in the Guardian that Waltham Forest Council was about to evict the charity.

In October, the Guardian reported that legal proceedings to remove the children's charity from the White House, Woodford Green, had begun after the hospice was unable to pay the remainder of its £380,000 60-year lease.

But just three days before Haven House's chief executive Lynda Clarke was due to meet the council's chief executive for crisis talks she received a telephone call telling her the hospice's prayers were answered.

Lynda Clarke said: "A businessman, who wants to remain anonymous, has offered to be the guarantor on a mortgage. There will be a down payment of £80,000 and a mortgage agreement will be drawn up for the rest.

"Waltham Forest Council has verbally agreed to let us stay now we have come up with the money.

"The meeting last Friday was very positive, but I think it would have been very different if our benefactor hadn't come forward.

"And I don't think he would have come forward without the Guardian's coverage and campaign," the chief executive added.

Since the Guardian launched its campaign to keep Haven House going, support for the hospice has poured in from celebrity patrons and members of the local community.

But it is not yet a done deal, as Waltham Forest Council says it needs time to go over the charity's proposal to save Haven House.

A council spokesman said: "The meeting was constructive and beneficial to all parties. The council is currently considering a proposal from Haven House which will involve full payment of the purchase price within 90 days.

"The council will report back to the partners with its decision by Monday."

By.Sara Dixon