CHAMPAGNE corks will be popped in Petersfield Hospital this weekend to celebrate the arrival of a long-awaited facility.

There should be a celebratory atmosphere on Sunday when the new state-of-the-art birthing pool is unveiled at The Grange.

Water births are extremely popular at the Swan Street maternity facility and account for around 70 per cent of the 300 births that take place at the ward each year.

The number has been restricted because the previous pool is non-plumbed, which makes filling and emptying a time-consuming process.

That figure should rise as its replacement, which was largely funded by a £26,500 grant from the NHS, is plumbed directly into the mains.

For full story, see this week's Petersfield Herald.