TINY tots born at Colchester General Hospital have been given a helping hand in drinking their milk, thanks to a generous donation from a supermarket.

Jo Clarke, the community champion at the Tesco store on the Hythe, was told in a chance conversation doctors and nurses have recommended the value baby bottles sold in the store for premature youngsters.

After talks with her bosses, Jo arranged for 100 bottles to be donated to the hospital's neonatal unit to help parents and children through the first few weeks of their life.

She said it was a pleasure to help in a small way.

"I found out our Tesco Value bottles are recommended for premature babies - it is something to do with the easy flow of them," she said.

"We managed to get 100 of them donated to the unit.

"They do such great work and we are so pleased that we are able to help them."

The neonatal unit supports approximately 4,000 deliveries every year and specialises in the care of babies born early, with low weight or who have a medical equipment which requires specialised treatment.

In total the unit has 18 cots - one for intensive care, four for high-dependency and 12 suitable for special care. There is also en-suite accommodation for parents to stay with their child, a parents room with play equipment for siblings and three cubicles for babies requiring isolation.

Neonatal unit sister Karen Moss was absolutely delighted to receive the donation which will be greatly received by mums and babies alike.

She said: “We were absolutely delighted to hear Tesco were planning on donating so many of their feeding bottles to the unit.

"These particular bottles have been proven to be successful with all our babies and families prior to be going home so we are very grateful for their generosity.”