STAFF and patients at a Southampton hospital have unveiled a new £1.5 million imaging department.

The radiology renovation began in March 2015 to renew and modernise equipment on young patients, and now the new space-age imaging department has been opened at Southampton Children's Hospital.

Among the latest technology is a mobile digital x-ray machine nicknamed the UHS Enterprise, which is taken to patients at the bedside on the paediatric intensive care unit.

The department is now home to hi-tech digital x-ray rooms and a dedicated fluoroscopy suite, which enables clinicians to obtain real-time moving images of he body and a novel x-ray chair that has made imaging of spinal patients 'safer and more comfortable'.

The child-friendly facility also provides an insight into what can be expected in the hospital's new children's emergency and trauma department, which will incorporate a satellite x-ray room and will be among the first phases of the build.

The children's department appeal reached the halfway mark in January, of £1 million, but a further million in matched fundraising is required.

That £2 million will then be matched by the government before £800,000 from University Hospital Southampton NHS Foundation Trust.

Victoria Fowler, deputy superintendent paediatric radiographer at the children's hospital said: "We are really pleased and proud of our modern department and are delighted to have the opportunity to unveil some of the latest technology we have to offer, which places our facility among one of the leading in the country.

"It is a real honour to be able to celebrate these achievements with our patients and some special guests and mark a very important milestone in children's radiology in Southampton.

"With the children's emergency department fundraising appeal ongoing, we hope showcasing the appearance of a child-friendly x-ray room will help to illustrate to the public the type of modern environment we will see more of with this exciting development."