Michael Jackson's Neverland ranch to become rehab facility for kids?

Los Angeles - Michael Jackson's former home could become a sex-assault rehabilitation facility for children.

The Neverland Ranch - situated in Santa Barbara, California - is up for sale with potential buyers proposing new uses for the 2,700-acre property.

While two bidders hope the ranch will be converted into an attraction to celebrate the musician, one local businessman is offering $40 million for the property to become a rehab centre.

A source revealed: "His goal is for the place to be used to help children in a serene setting recover from the trauma of sex abuse.

"The plan is to have children come there for treatment, and they will also hire trained therapists who would help the victims through the use of equine-assisted therapy, which works to improve the kids' self-esteem, and it helps them to become more outgoing."

The premises were searched in 2003 when Michael was charged with multiple counts of molesting a minor, and although he was later cleared of the charges, the singer vacated the property shortly afterwards because he felt the 70 police officers had "violated" his home.

Michael - who passed away at the age of 50 from a cardiac arrest in June 2009 - purchased the ranch in 1988 and converted it to include an amusement park, a two-story arcade, candy stores, a movie theatre and a zoo.

However, Neverland was seized by real-estate investor Thomas Barrack in 2008 due to the superstar's escalating debts, with hopes it could sell for $75m.