Concerned parents of newborn babies needing extra care at the city hospital will now be able to check on their child’s progress with round-the-clock video updates.

A new app service has been launched which will allow nurses at Aberdeen Neonatal Unit to record footage of the special moments that parents might miss when they are not there – and send it directly to their smartphones.

It means that parents who can’t make it to the ward because of sickness or due to distance can still feel close to their children and see their baby sucking their thumb or opening their eyes for the first time.

The hospital is the second in Scotland to start using the vCreate app, which has been funded by Friends of the Special Nursery.

Charity chairwoman Kirsty Bishop said: “It was about six hours before I got to see my baby and while I got to see a photo, being able to view videos would have been wonderful.

“We get parents from all over the north-east, Orkney and Shetland who can’t make it to the unit so having this service for them will be brilliant.”

The free service will use iPads which were donated to the hospital by a grandparent earlier this year.

Mrs Bishop added: “We have a lot of fantastic supporters and they can see how they are being put towards the right things.

“The feedback we have had so far has been so positive.

“Without the donations we receive we can’t do what we do, and this will really make a difference.”

Nicole Bauwens, nurse manager at the Neonatal Unit, said it would be a huge benefit to parents.

She said: “We are delighted to be launching this new service.

“We hope that seeing their baby’s progress will help to reassure families of their child’s wellbeing.

“I would like to say a massive thank you to the Friends of the Special Nursery for funding this service for the neonatal unit, it will help parents to feel closer to their baby even when they are not able to be at their baby’s cot side.”