A hospital trust has received a generous donation of £10,000 to help children dealing with loss.

The Princess Alexandra Hospital NHS Trust was given the money by the Essex Freemasons and will help to fund specialist child bereavement training.

Director of nursing, midwifery and allied healthcare professionals, Sharon McNally said: "The support we have received from the Freemasons has been truly heart-warming.

The funds will allow our family and women's team to boost their skills and deliver the best possible care and support when dealing with one of the hardest situations they will face in their career - bereavement."

The money will also be used to purchase new resources such a activity books, teddies, worry dolls that can help children open up about their feelings.

The charity initiative Teddies for Loving Care, which has been running in Essex for 20 years has also supplied teddies to the trust.

The organisation is supported by the Freemasons has also been supplying teddies to A&E departments and walk-in centres in hospitals in the area.

Chairman Rob Whittingham said: "The teddies are given to child patients suffering trauma and distress.

"When we learnt this team were also using teddies to help children suffering the trauma of a death close to them we were very happy to include them in the TLC family and have today supplied them with their first batch of teddies."