Hearing into hospital baby deaths

The babies were being treated at Altnagelvin hospital

Northern Ireland's senior coroner is to begin a preliminary hearing into the deaths of four babies at Altnagelvin Hospital in Londonderry.

John Leckey announced he was going to investigate the deaths of Regan Margaret Donegan, Charlie Hugo Meenan, Ronan O'Brien and Kyle McClean in 2006.

Mr Leckey had asked three independent medical experts to provide him with separate reports into each death.

All of the infants died at the hospital between July and August 2006.

The reports did not suggest a common link between the deaths.

The experts, who also agreed the cause of death in each case was linked to complex obstetric problems, did not criticise the care provided by the neonatal unit.