THERE is no place like gnome as a secret world is unveiled at Russells Hall Hospital.

The colourful gnome garden has been built outside the outpatients department by Steve Ford, in his bid to bring a smile to the faces of the hospital's patients.

Steve, who runs the Wishing Well charity to grant wishes for poorly children, came up with the idea of the gnomery after having an excess of donated gnomes following one of his most unusual wishes.

Last year Steve appealed for the garden ornaments in his bid to grant the unusual wish of Stourbridge teenager Paige Jones, who wanted to smash up garden gnomes with an electric guitar, while dressed as Angus Young from the rock band AC/DC.

Following his appeal, the hospital volunteer was inundated with hundreds of colourful creatures in all shapes and sizes.

But he also received a “backlash from gnome fans” concerned that the little garden people would soon be wiped out, so he decided to set up a permanent gnomery in the garden outside the outpatients ward with the surplus donations.

The gnomes, which were in the best condition, were repainted by artist Elaine Hawkins and Steve asked Paige, aged 19, to officially open the garden, in a bid to redeem herself after smashing up the other gnomes during her wish.

Steve said: "The children who are waiting to see a doctor in the outpatients ward can now look out of the window and see the little secret world, while the patients from the childen's ward can also be taken down to see them. It's something different to make everyone smile.”

He added: "And it is already doing what we wanted it to do - while we were there opening it, we saw parents having to drag their children away because they were just standing looking at them."

"We are hoping the garden will provide great therapeutic value as well as being entertaining."