An Oxford hospice due to star in a BBC2 documentary is hoping television publicity will help make up for this year's £1.4m fundraising shortfall.

Helen House for children and Douglas House for young adults missed this year's target of £4m by a third.

The documentary, starting on January 9, will feature the stories of young people with life-shortening conditions in eight half-hour episodes.

Hospice chief executive Tom Hill said: "We are looking forward to the programme in the New Year, which really shows that tears and smiles go hand in hand here."

In episode one, viewers meet one-year-old Courtney Scarlett, who has a lung and heart condition.

His parents, Leyton and Louise, have given up their jobs to become full-time carers, knowing that he could die at any moment.

The episode also introduces Helen Oakley, nine, who has the normal intelligence of a girl of her age, but is unable to control her limbs.

Founder and trustee of Helen and Douglas House Sister Frances Dominica said: "We thought very hard before becoming involved with this documentary, not least about the idea of having a film crew with us for over a year.

"With this in mind, we found that many of the families wanted to tell their story, to tell the world just what they have to go through and how Helen and Douglas House have been able to share their load."

Julie Carpenter, whose 23-year-old son Martin suffers from a heart defect, believes that publicity is vital to raise awareness that hospices are fun places for living, rather than depressing.

She said: "Before Martin came here, I thought that hospices would be gloomy places with nuns swinging incense and praying in the corridors. Nothing could be further from the truth. Martin loves coming to Douglas House, especially the jacuzzi and bar."

Oxford road maintenance firm Accord is one local business which has supported the hospice this year, through a charity auction and donating a new drive "in kind".

Young wheelchair users were given a smoother path across the hospice car park when the drive was opened by Accord planning and programming manager Richard Luxton.

Fundraising officer Nikki Barber said: "We are very grateful to Accord for their hard work over the three days. Hopefully this will pave the way for other firms to donate their services. "

Douglas House is the world's first respite for young adults with life-shortening conditions and their families. Helen House was the world's first children's hospice, built in 1982.