Sir.-I would like to thank all the nurses and staff on the neo-natal ward at Basingstoke hospital.

We are now blessed with a little boy (Kieran), who was born on March 13 this year, after a preg-nancy which ended earlier than expected and took us all by surprise.

Our baby was on the ward for one month and looked after so well by all there.

By the time he left on April 11, we had come to see many of these wonderful people as our friends.

Many, many thanks from a very grateful mum and dad.

-Philip and Mercy, Basingstoke.

Sir.-Having spent five days in Basingstoke hospital after an operation, I wish to express my sincere gratitude for the excellent care received.

The multi-tasked nurses coped very well with the obvious under-staffing problem both in the Diagnosis and Treatment Centre (DTC) and on C Ward in the main hospital block.

This is my third operation since November 2005, and the nursing care has been excellent on every occasion.

-Dave Pearce, Tadley.