AFTER HAVING read the criticism of the care and the hygiene at the County Hospital, I felt, as a family, we should express our opinions of the care that our youngest child received after being rushed in on April 13.

We arrived by ambulance and first we would like to thank the crew from Leominster for being so calm and the paramedic who came to our home from Ludlow. These services are invaluable especially to the rural areas.

All the A&E staff were fantastic. Even though there seemed to be so many of them, everyone explained what they were doing and what was going on.

Thankfully our little boy soon recovered enough to be moved to the Children's Ward and settled into HDU so he could be observed. Within a few hours he was sitting up in bed asking for some lunch.

All the staff were fantastic and the standard of hygiene on the ward was high.

Having spent time in the old children's ward it was like a whole different world in the new hospital - there is a lovely out-door area, a play-room and many areas just for sitting and chatting to other parents and watching your child play in a caring and clean environment.

So once again a huge thank you to the staff at the County, keep up the good work!

Liz, Graham and Liam VICKRESS, High Street, Leintwardine