New children's hospital completed

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The children's hospital will have 370 beds

The construction of what is said to be Europe's biggest children's hospital has been completed in Manchester and the keys handed over the the NHS trust.

The 370-bed Royal Manchester Children's Hospital will open in June, following four years of building work.

It is part of a £500m development of four hospitals in Oxford Road.

The new children's hospital said it would bring to young people in the North West the most up-to-date facilities.

Peter Mount, chairman of Central Manchester University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust (CMFT), said it still captured the spirit of the two existing children's hospitals in Manchester it replaces.

New children's hospital facts More than 370 beds More than 90 single bed rooms Specialist on-site family accomodation Size of 39 football pitches Has its own accident and emergency department Took less than four years to build

Mr Mount said: "The new children's hospital will bring benefits for patients and the dedicated clinicians who will continue their great work caring for the children of Manchester and beyond."

Project managers Catalyst Healthcare handed over the building to the (CMFT) to give the trust time to settle in and train doctors, nurses and staff in the new facilities.

The new hospital integrates Booth Hall Children's Hospital and the Royal Manchester Children's Hospital, Pendlebury.

Manchester Royal Infirmary, Saint Mary's Hospital for Woman and Children and Manchester Royal Eye Hospital are all being revamped to become part of the complex.

The whole development will cover a total area of over 265,000 sq m - nearly twice the size of the Trafford Centre.

It will have more than 1,100 beds and 1,600 car park spaces.