PRE-SCHOOL children have been given a special insight into how work is progressing on Airedale Hospital's new Emergency Department.

Ten youngsters from Nightingales Day Nursery at the hospital visited the construction site, operated by Willmott Dixon.

The three and four-year-olds, accompanied by nursery staff, were given a tour of the area where the £6.3 million development is being built.

And the children had the chance to put their painted hand prints onto the walls.

Willmott Dixon site manager, Gavin Redfern, said: “The children had a great time looking around the site and they were all very well behaved. They loved the hand prints!”

Paul Jennings, clinical director for acute and emergency medicine at Airedale NHS Foundation Trust, said: “We were very excited about the hand prints – they will be there for as long as the building stands."

The prints won't be visible once work is complete, but will be enclosed within walls.

Dr Jennings added: "How a child is playing and interacting with others is one of the ways we assess children when they come to A&E. The funds we receive from the Emergency Department Appeal will help us to buy resources to do this, which is invaluable for some of our very young patients, particularly those who haven’t learned to speak.

“ In some circumstances, how well a child’s hands are coordinating and if they are using one side more than the other to play with toys can really help us make an appropriate assessment and get them the treatment they need as soon as possible.”