THERE was a bit of a carry on at Southmead Hospital this week as Barbara Windsor opened a brand new extension to the Neo-natal Intensive Care Unit (NICU).

The former EastEnders' star met staff and talked with families at the new £600,000 facility on Tuesday, September 21.

Barbara Windsor, who is appearing in pantomime at the Bristol Hippodrome this Christmas, said: "I am so thrilled to be able to open the new wing of the special care baby unit at Southmead Hospital.

"I know that many mums, dads and babies will really benefit from these new rooms. This is a time in their lives when they need all the help they can get and these facilities will make a big difference."

The brand new extension has been funded by more than £200,000 in donations from the local community. The remaining £400,000 was met by the North Bristol NHS Trust.

The extension now provides Southmead's NICU with two new baby care rooms for up to 16 infants, along with a suite of new family rooms, allowing parents to stay overnight, or have a quiet place to be with their baby.

Ruth Brunt, chief executive for North Bristol NHS Trust, said: "We're delighted to welcome Barbara to open the newly extended NICU. Thanks to donations from local people and an investment by the Trust, we are able to provide even greater levels of care to our special care babies.

"We now have all of our NICU team under one roof, new offices for our staff and the family rooms will provide mums, dads and babies with even greater privacy."

North Bristol NHS Trust is still fundraising for the unit and anyone wanting to make a donation can send a cheque payable to Southmead NICU to the Fundraising office, Christopher Hancock building, Southmead hospital, Bristol, BS10 5NB.