Bosses at Sherwood Forest Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust have invested in a new £70,000 ultrasound machine for use in routine 12-20 week scans.

It will provide a much clearer picture to detect fetal abnormalities as early as possible and will also enable the hospital to offer Nuchal Translucency (NT) measurement to women at increased risk of having a Downs Syndrome baby.

A specialist additional probe for the machine has also been purchased with £6,000 donated by King's Mill Voluntary Services.

This can be used for detecting problems in early pregnancy and confirming ongoing pregnancy in women experiencing bleeding.

And a further £1,700 donation from King's Mill Voluntary Services has been used to purchase a special electric tilting ultrasound couch.

Jayne Burkitt, radiology services manager, told Chad: "We are very grateful to King's Mill Voluntary Services for purchasing the additional probe and couch.

"These items will greatly assist the trust in ensuring that we can offer a first-class pregnancy screening service to local women."

• Pictured, from left, are Gayle Jones and Rachel Statham explaining the specialist probe to KMVS chairman Ron Tansley, while Penny Storer demonstrates the new automated couch to Gill Smallwood, deputy voluntary services chairman.