SLIDESHOW: L&D youngsters all smiles for visitors!

The hospital says it has been touched by how many people gave up their time to come and see the children this year.

Visitors included Luton Town FC players, the stars of Jack and the Beanstalk at the Grove and Snow White at the Alban Arena, and television characters Scooby Doo, Iggle Piggle, Peppa Pig and Barney.

There was plenty of entertainment, too, from Dunstable’s Rock Choir, who sang at the L&D Christmas tree lighting ceremony, and Magic Dave, who wowed children, staff and parents with his tricks.

Fundraising manager Sarah Newby said: “The annual visit from Luton Town is always a favourite. The team came in and spent a couple of hours visiting the children, talking to them, posing for photos and playing table football in the play room.”

There were toys a-plenty for the youngsters when staff from Luton nightclubs Liquid and Envy came to visit. They took along toys that had been generously donated by clubbers on Friday, December 16, in response to an appeal.

Shoppers at Matalan in Luton also helped give the young patients a boost by buying teddy bears More than 1,000 teddies were purchased at the Castle Street store, meaning every child in A&E, on the children’s ward, in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit and in the fracture clinic received a bear.

One also went to every baby born on Christmas Day at the hospital, with the Luton store collecting more bears than any other Matalan in the country.

Hospital chairman Spencer Colvin said: “Thank you to everyone who made this Christmas so special for the patients here at the L&D. “There is a never a good time to be in hospital but for some people Christmas really is the time when you should be at home with friends and family.

“We are so grateful also to all the staff who work over the Christmas and New Year period and who go out of their way to make patients feel special and loved at this time.”

The hospital has also announced two fantastic fundraising figures in the past week. The lights on the L&D tree, which have been sponsored as gifts or in memory of loved ones, have raised more than £2,000.

And the final total for the On Your Marks 10k race held in October has been confirmed as £11,700.