MUMS-to-be will be having their babies in a new £17million maternity and gynaecology unit from next month.

The new purpose-built centre, named the Sharoe Green Unit in honour of the existing maternity hospital which is set to close, is to be unveiled at the Royal Preston Hospital on Saturday, September 4.

It will house maternity delivery suites and wards, an ultrasound department, an antenatal clinic, a neo-natal unit and a special early pregnancy assessment unit.

There will also be a gynaecology outpatient department and 28-bed ward with three operating theatres.

During the handover weekend, hospital chiefs will be running both the current delivery suite, at Sharoe Green Hospital, as well as the new site.

The hospital is advising expectant parents to make a dummy run to both departments beforehand, if they are unsure of their precise location.

While ultrasound and antenatal appointments will be held at the new unit, when it opens, mums-to-be who are unsure of where their appointment is are advised to contact their midwife or the ultrasound department.

Sean Hughes, consultant obstetrician and clinical director for women's health, said: "Staff are gearing up to make the move from the old unit to the new facility as smooth as possible so that there is the minimum disruption to mothers, babies, partners and their families.

"Patients can rest assured that there will be adequate cover at both sites should anything go wrong."

The maternity unit at Sharoe Green opened in 1986, and thousands of babies from Preston, Leyland, and Chorley have been born there.