New hospital courtyard

Stuart Heatherington, chairman of Worthing and Southlands Hospitals, planted a tree with some of the children who would use the courtyard.

The specially-designed adventure trail is located in the Children's Centre and is also linked to the physiotherapy department.

Helen Dobbin, superintendent physiotherapist, said: "This new courtyard will be a fantastic addition to our service, giving children the opportunity to practise some of the mobility skills required to increase their independence."

The 20,000 courtyard has ramps and rough surfaces to help children who are in wheelchairs, or need other mobility aids, to learn how to get around under the supervision of a physiotherapy team.

There are also balance beams and bridges which will help children who have co-ordination problems, and ramps will help children learn how to go up and down hills and across a cobbled area so they can practise manoeuvring over rough surfaces.

Also, kerbs and a narrow winding path are features.

Physiotherapy staff worked alongside the builders to design the courtyard to ensure it met their specification.

Volunteers Daphne and Ken Hearne supported them.

Daphne is a non-executive director of the local health trust and Ken is a retired garden designer.