A cold cot which allows parents who suffer a stillbirth to spend more time with their babies has been presented to Medway hospital.

The state-of-the-art equipment was donated on behalf of Hayley Evans, who lost her daughter Mimi Bluebell in April 2014.

Medway charity Abigail’s Footsteps, which aims to provide more support for grieving families, made the presentation on Thursday.

David Ward, who founded Abigail’s Footsteps with his wife Jo after their daughter was stillborn, said the cold cot will help ease some of the pain for parents.

“When we lost Abigail in 2009 there was no cold cot at the hospital so we only had a few hours with her. The cold cots allow parents to have days rather than hours with their babies. They have time to clothe them, bathe them if they want to, and say goodbye.

“It is very important for mums and dads, and it also means other family members have time to meet the child too.”

Abigail’s Footsteps has already donated three cold cots to Medway Maritime, including two portable ones that allow parents to take their babies home if they wish to.

The charity has also worked with a company to develop a new type of cold cot, making them much more affordable for hospitals around the country.

On Thursday, the charity announced work is set to start on a new bereavement suite. It will be refurbishing three rooms, away from the noise of babies on the maternity ward, where families can spend time with their stillborn babies.

Mr Ward said: “It will give parents more time to get to grips with what has happened in private.

“It will be a mid-way point after being discharged and before going home where parents would have to face things like a decorated nursery, a cot and newborn baby clothes.”

Dot Smith, head of midwifery at the hospital, said: “Sadly, on the rare occasion a baby is stillborn or dies shortly after birth, our midwives are tasked with a very difficult care issue.

“A specialist bereavement unit will help them to give parents the space and time they need. We are very fortunate to be among the first hospitals to have such vital facilities.”