Peter Garsden, the solicitor representing the 14, is expected to press for compensation in excess of £50,000 at Manchester High Court on Tuesday.

The claim comes after Andrew Christian, a voluntary worker at St Gabriel's Convent in Liverpool, was jailed for 11 years last February for indecently assaulting 13 boys.

Mr Christian worked at the home from 1967 to 1985.

Mr Garsden claims the nuns knew the abuse was going on, but "chose to turn a blind eye".

The 14 claimants were aged between 10 and 16 when they were at the home, which is also known as Knolle Park Children's Home.

The 14 include some of the 13 that Christian was convicted of abusing and others who came forward as a result of the investigation.

Blind eye

Mr Garsden said: "We are claiming the management systems at the home were not as good as they should have been and that the managers knew what was going onat St Gabriel's knew what was going on."

He expects the case to take at least two years to come to trial.

The conviction of Christian, who was homeless, came after a huge investigation by Merseyside Police known as Operation Care.