GUESTS were given a tour round a new state-of-the-art hospital wing at a celebratory event.

The new bays, waiting rooms, play areas and ward at Southampton general hospital have been specially designed to make children feel more comfortable when they are rushed to the hospital.

And it's all been made possible with a mammoth £2million fundraising drive by staff, celebrities and the public. As reported the drive was a bid by acting couple Sarah Parish and James Murray - who set up the appeal two years ago.

It had the backing of former Chancellor George Osborne - who promised to match the money raised to pay for the £5.1million facility.

As reported the acting couple reached their goal just last weekend at their annual Trust Odd Ball hosted by Eastenders actor Tamsin Outhwaite.

Peter Hollins, the Chair of the University Hospital Southampton NHS Foundation Trust Board, said: “It is absolutely fantastic that the money needed to build a new children’s emergency and trauma department at University Hospital Southampton has been achieved.

“Southampton Hospital Charity and The Murray Parish Trust have worked tirelessly and I would like to thank all those that gave up their time to raise money or donate funds. Everyone who has worked on and supported the appeal has been phenomenal.”

But he added that the charity will still need to ask for more cash to fund future projects - and said: “We are very grateful but we never say thank you without saying we need more.”

The unit is the first step in creating a full children’s hospital at the Coxford Road site - which organisers hope will be on a par with London’s Great Ormond Street and Alder Hey in Liverpool.

The department will open at University Hospital Southampton next year and will see the development of a state-of-the-art eight-bed observation area, 11 glass-fronted and sound proof cubicles and on-hand x-ray facilities.

It will also include a reception, triage and waiting area for young patients, access to resuscitation facilities via a new link corridor, a nurse practitioner room. It will also incorporate the children’s assessment unit.

The new facility will be spread across more than 1,390m² and is expected to see more than 30,000 youngsters every year from across Hampshire, Isle of Wight, Dorset, Devon, Wiltshire, Berkshire, West Sussex, Channel Islands and Oxfordshire.

Southampton Hospital Charity has also raised £70,000 for distraction equipment to help prepare children for tests, scans, and operations.

Sarah Parish and James Murray could not be at yesterday’s event as they were both filming - Sarah in Blackburn and James in Dubai. But speaking on their behalf Sam Robson said: “They are really sad they are not here.”