Essex hospitals have received donations of premature baby clothing from Tesco to help parents during tough times.

The packages, distributed to neonatal units at Basildon Hospital, Colchester Hospital, Southend Hospital, Broomfield Hospital, and Princess Alexandra Hospital, include essential items such as sleepsuits, bodysuits, hats, and scratch mitts.

The initiative is in cooperation with the Salvation Army, which aids Tesco in delivering the items.

Kirk Bradley, head of corporate partnerships from the Salvation Army, said: "We are happy to be supporting Tesco to deliver these much-needed items of clothing to the NHS neo-natal units, which are saving young lives.

"These generous donations provide comfort for the most vulnerable and give these families essentials in their time of need."

The packs will benefit a significant portion of the seven to 10 per cent of babies born prematurely in England and Wales, as indicated by the Office for National Statistics.

With a donation of 23,000 packs of F&F Premature Baby Essentials to 157 neonatal departments, every second premature infant will receive part of these Tesco-donated essentials.

Amanda Pritchard, NHS chief executive, said: "Having a baby born prematurely can be a really worrying time for so many.

"It is fantastic that Tesco is donating specialist baby clothing to every NHS neonatal unit across England to provide additional help.

"These clothing packs could make a huge difference to tens of thousands of babies and their families who need it most over the next year, and we are extremely grateful to Tesco, and to the Salvation Army, for making this possible."

The initiative by Tesco follows numerous past efforts to aid struggling families.

During Christmas, the company collected a plethora of toys from shoppers.

Last winter, it distributed approximately 4,000 new F&F coats to those in need.

Jan Marchant, managing director for Tesco’s Home & Clothing, said: "Premature babies are often unexpected, and it can be difficult to find clothing items to fit at such short notice.

"We want to provide practical help to mums and dads across Essex during a stressful time and help give the babies a stronger start in life."