A NEW garden of memories has opened at Queen's Park Hospital in Blackburn.

The project, which started two years ago, was created through the Bereavement Support Group at the hospital and the Blackburn, Hyndburn and Ribble Valley Stillbirth and Neonatal Death Society (SANDS).

The £3,000 project included donations from SANDS, Blackburn, Hyndburn and Ribble Valley NHS Trust and voluntary groups.

The garden, which includes a sculpture of a bereaved woman carved by Marjorie Estwood, of Rishton, will offer a place of quiet contemplation.

Nevil Barnett, Paediatric Nurse Manager at Queen's Park Hospital, said: "The garden will be available for anyone to use, after the death of a loved one in hospital.

"I am pleased that we can provide a better service for people who are bereaved. Our previous Trust Chaplain Beryl Fish worked very hard to ensure this service would be put into place."

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