BABIES born at Cossham Hospital returned to mark its first birthday – and theirs – on January 28.

The Kingswood hospital, run by North Bristol NHS Trust, reopened last year after a £19 million refurbishment, and now provides a renal dialysis unit, X-ray and scanning department, physiotherapy and outpatient appointments.

Cossham is also home to Bristol’s first free-standing midwife-led birth centre and last year’s reopening saw babies born at the hospital for the first time in its 106-year-old history.

Since it reopened last year 486 babies have been born at the hospital’s birth centre.

The first babies born at the hospital and their parents were invited back to Cossham Hospital to join the celebrations.

One of them was Oliver Hatts of Fishponds, who was born on January 31 and turned one on Friday.

His mother Jennie said: “Giving birth at Cossham was exactly what I was after, it was calm and collected and I cannot say how grateful I am to the staff.

“I have been telling everyone about this place, it is brilliant.

“I can’t believe it has been a year – it has gone so quickly.”

Oliver is one of the first 100 babies born at Cossham Birth Centre and features on a picture commemorating the births donated by the League of Friends, which was unveiled during celebrations.

Birth centre manager Yvonne Creed said: “It is a privilege to be able to offer care to women in a calm, relaxed environment. We have received wonderful comments and feedback from the women who have given birth here.”

Earlier this month the Care Quality Commission published its first report into the hospital since it reopened.

Inspectors found that the hospital had passed all six essential standards and praised the cleanliness, modern facilities and said patients were positive about the care they received.

Outpatient clinics including cardiology, rheumatology, gastroenterology and gynaecology are available at Cossham and more services are due to be offered at the hospital in the future.

Cossham Hospital manager Tony Williamson said: “Since reopening back in January 2013, we have had thousands of people come to Cossham for a variety of treatments, scans or to give birth.

“The comments that we get back regarding the hospital, services and staff have been really positive.

“The local community appreciate having us on their doorstep and I feel that going forward, we will be able to offer more services that will prove essential to the health needs for this area."