WORK has finally started on replacing old facilities at the Royal Cornwall Hospital's Daisy Suite, thanks to the Ella's Memory charity.

The facility is being overhauled thanks to £29,000 raised by Martyn and Emmillie Selley, from Newbridge in Truro, who launched the charity after losing their newborn child in December 2009.

The fund total does not include a £10,000 anonymous donation that was made last October, but has yet to be paid. However the donor promised to hand the money to Mr Selley tomorrow.

The work is a positive step for Mr Selley who was made redundant from his job as a business development manager with Arrow recruitment last Thursday.

The couple are also preparing for the imminent arrival of their third child, expected next week.

Remote

"It's been a busy month so far. Losing my job came as a bolt out of the blue. Arrow's headquarters is in London and I was its only remote worker covering the South West and Wales.

"They have decided to run everything from London and I was given my cards.

"I have to put food on the table, but worse things have happened," said Mr Selley, who is now looking for work.

At 8am on Tuesday he arrived at the Treliske site ready to give a hand to the team of electricians, builders, and plumbers who he has brought in to carry out the work refitting the Daisy Suite.

Workmen have already pulled down a wall and ripped up floors to make way for a new window and door leading to the hospital's Garden of Rememberance.

The unit, which provides specialist care for people going through the trauma of losing an unborn child, will be closed for five weeks while the men also install a new kitchen, radiators, bathroom, sofa bed and flatscreen television.

"We can't believe what people have done. The Cornish have really got behind us supporting a facility that sadly is used by families most weeks.

"We have used local firms, all of which have worked for the hospital before, to do the refurbishment."