Daredevil hospital staff have abseiled down the side of one of the city’s tallest buildings to help babies in their care.

The team with a head for heights are part of the £2 million neo-natal unit expansion at the Bradford Royal Infirmary and included Dr Sunita Seal, who is clincal lead for neo-natology and fellow consultant neo-natologists Dr Chris Day and Dr Sam Wallis.

They were joined by Susan Robins, divisional general manager for the Women and Children’s division, and Sarah Szpara, clinical service manager, as they roped down the Culture Fusion building in Thornton Road, Bradford.

Staff from contractors on the build, which included Thomas Barnes, Ramboll and architects Bowman Riley, also took part. Money raised from the event will go towards buying additional home comforts and furnishings for the unit. The enlarged unit, scheduled to open in February, will have en suite family bedrooms, a play area in a relatives’ sitting room and a counselling suite.

There will also be a dedicated room for mothers to express breast milk for their pre-term babies. The £2m investment also includes the opening of two new intensive care cots with space for two more in the future. The unit currently provides care for up to 27 babies at any one time but is regularly full.