A NURSE who has cared for thousands of babies in the 40 years she has been working in Dorset has retired.

The maternity team at the Royal Bournemouth Hospital bid a sad farewell to care assistant Monica Mulley last week. Mrs Mulley started her career in 1974 as a nursery nurse at the Royal Victoria Hospital in Boscombe before transferring to the Maternity Unit at Bournemouth when the Royal Victoria closed in 1992. Over the years she has cared for countless women and babies and has seen a number of those babies become mums themselves. One memorable moment was caring for 32-week-old premature twin girls at the Royal Victoria and then years later caring for one of the twins as she gave birth at RBH.

Maternity sister Val Loomes said: “She has endless patience and treats all women with dignity, respect, kindness and care in one of the most important events of their lives.”