Mums and babies who have benefited from the new maternity unit at Bradford Royal Infirmary met the Lord Lieutenant of Yorkshire when she officially opened the ward.

Dr Ingrid Roscoe spoke to staff, patients and former patients after she unveiled the plaque to open the hospital's maternity transitional unit yesterday.

Dr Roscoe also visited the neonatal unit and met staff involved with the Born in Bradford birth study project.

The maternity transitional care unit is midwife-led and means that pre-term babies, who are not ill enough for the neonatal unit but need extra care, can now stay with their mums, rather than being separated.

Dr Chris Day consultant neo-natalogist said: "The transitional ward allows us to make sure that we can give the babies the care that they need, but also care for the mothers as well. "

Michelle Gardner, midwife and ward manager, said: "Mums go home more confident, because they have built a bond with their babies."

Mum Claire Denning, 33, of Wrose, Shipley, have birth to Joseph four weeks ago. He was born five weeks premature and weighed five pounds nine ounces.

Mrs Denning, who spent nearly a week in the unit, said: "It was reassuring being near Joseph, especially in the early days when I was so worried about him."

Wendy Brown, 40, from Thackley, gave birth to Megan on April 9, six weeks early and weighing four pounds 11 ounces.

She said: "I lost my last baby at 39 weeks, so when I had Megan premature, I was so worried. If they had sent me home it would have torn me apart."

Dr Roscoe said: "Mothers and babies bond together in the first few days, babies get used to one face, one body and one smell. It must be difficult for a mother to go through an early birth and then be separated from her child, so it is wonderful that there is this facility in Bradford."

l More than 500 mothers have now signed up to the Born in Bradford programme and will be named next week.