A GRIEVING Rossendale couple have begun fundraising for a “cold cot” at Burnley General Hospital in memory of their premature baby daughter.

Rachael Chadwick, 19, and Joseph Shearns, 22, need to raise £1,470 for the device, which allows families to spend more time with their stillborn baby before they are taken to the mortuary.

The couple, of Belvedere Avenue, Waterfoot, were heartbroken when their daughter Primrose was born asleep 20 weeks prematurely on March 14, weighing 11oz.

Primrose was placed in the cold cot, which works by cooling the baby down to a near freezing temperature to significantly slow down the deterioration process, giving more precious time.

Rachael said: “When a baby is born this early, their body starts to deteriorate extremely quickly, meaning the family are only able to spend a maximum of five hours with the baby before they go to the mortuary. We were able to spend 18 hours with Primrose.

“But unfortunately, there were three other families on the ward at the same time as us who were also losing their babies. They didn’t get to use a cold cot as our birth suite only has one .”

Currently there is only one cold cot available at the hospital so the couple decided to put their energies into getting an additional one and possibly even a third.

Each cold cot costs £1,470 and they need to buy special sheets for £100. So far the couple have raised around £1,300 and say they will continue fundraising to provide cots for other hospitals.

The couple are undertaking a series of fundraising events in the coming weeks.

Joseph has raised £520 by having his chest and legs waxed at Tufties Hair and Beauty Salon in Rawtenstal.

They will also be doing a sponsored 7.9-mile walk from Waterfoot to Burnley on May 10, and have organised a family fun day at St Mary’s Football Club in Haslingden on May 23.

Alder Grange School in Rawtenstall will hold a non-uniform day and an assembly to raise awareness of miscarriage and stillbirths.

To donate visit www.facebook.com/primrosescoldcotfundraising