EVERY mum deserves a special treat on Mother's Day.

But for those whose tiny babies are being cared for on the neo natal unit at Royal Oldham Hospital it was a rare opportunity to have some "me time" and a spot of pampering.

Neo natal family support charity SPOONS arranged for Oldham College's beauty therapy department students to come along and spoil mums - and staff - for the morning last Friday.

They transformed a bedroom into a spa and offered massages and treatments to the grateful parents who can spend hours a day on the unit.

SPOONS trustee and founder Kirsten Mitchell knows only too well how it feels to be a mum in the neo natal unit on Mother's Day after her son Tom was born at 24 weeks in 2014.

She helped to organise the event alongside afternoon tea at Royal Oldham and North Manchester General Hospital where they also support neo natal parents.

"When Tom was born I spent a long time on the unit and spent my first Mother's Day there, so I know first hand how difficult it is.

"We just wanted to give mums and the staff a little treat. When you're on the neo natal unit its hard to get away so we just wanted to bring something special to them.

"It was really good and they absolutely loved it.

"A lot of them had hand massages because your hands get really sore and dry with having to use the gel on there all the time. They used warm mitts and a treatment which they really enjoyed.

"They also had shoulder and neck massages.

"There were four students and a tutor and they made it really nice for everyone.

"We always celebrate Mother's Day on the unit and buy the mums gifts but this was brilliant and definitely something we want to do next year."

If you'd like to get more information about getting involved with SPOONS - which offers parent peer support - or you can fundraise for the charity, go to care@spoons.org.uk.