KIND-HEARTED knitters who make warm clothes for tiny premature babies now have a new drop-off point for their creations.

The Lillie’s Grace charity encourages people to make blankets, hats, cardigans, socks and mittens to keep poorly or premature babies in Bradford’s neonatal unit cosy and warm.

The project was set up by Greengates couple Matthew Rhodes and Nicky Hodges-Rhodes, in memory of their daughter Lillie Grace, who died aged just four-days-old and became the first baby in Bradford to donate her heart valves to help other poorly infants.

But Lillie's Grace, which works in partnership with the Bradford Hospitals Children’s Charity, had been in need of a central drop-off point for people to hand in their finished knitwear.

Now the Lord Mayor of Bradford, Councillor Joanne Dodds, has set up the new collection point at Bradford's City Hall.

Cllr Dodds, who chose the Bradford Hospitals Children’s Charity as her charity for the year said: "I am delighted that we have been able to offer City Hall as a drop off point for knitwear for these very special babies."

Mrs Hodges-Rhodes said the drop-off point would be a huge help to the initiative.

"It will really, really help us because until now we have had to go out and do collections or arrange postage," she added.

Mrs Hodges-Rhodes said they now had 100 knitters making items for the babies, from schoolchildren to craft groups.

She said: "A lot of people just want to help. A lot of people have the skills but might not have anybody to knit for, or the resources to knit with."

She said at the moment, the project was appealing for people to knit blankets in particular, or donate shop-bought blankets or wool.

Knitting kits, which include a pattern and wool, are available via the Lillie's Grace website, lilliesgrace.com.

Hayley Collis, of Bradford Hospitals Children's Charity, said: "The generosity from our local team of knitters is incredible and is so gratefully received by our staff, new mums and babies too.

"Every single day, blankets and hats are needed for these tiny babies and as infection control is paramount, all the knitwear needs to be prepared by our neonatal staff.

"So for us to have somewhere for people to drop off items centrally is incredibly helpful, as these items can then be sorted in to washing bags for us on a weekly basis.

"Having the central drop-off point at City Hall is lovely gesture made possible by the Lord Mayor, Cllr Joanne Dodds, who continues to work closely supporting the charity in her mayoral year."