EXPECTANT dads can now ‘put their feet up’ while Mum does all the hard work, after a gift of 20 reclining chairs for the maternity ward.

Torbay Hospital’s League of Friends handed over the chairs at a little ceremony this week with three-day-old Evie stealing the show.

Dad Mark Whitehead was the first to get to use the ultra-comfortable fully-reclining chairs on the John Macpherson Ward. Mum Heidi Venner gave birth to little Evie at 3.20am, weighing just over 7lbs. Midwife Julie Pickering said: ‘The chairs are really comfortable and a great improvement on the old upright chairs’.

Her colleague Jackie Tolley said: said: ‘It is recognised that partners staying with their babies improves initial bonding and long-term family wellbeing so anything which makes this more comfortable for dads and partners is very welcome.’

n Pictured from left are: (back row) Julia Hearne, Kathryn Westaway (chairman), Lynne Hookings, Philip White, Jenny Berry, Trevor Brown, Jackie Tolley. (Front row) Heidi Venner, Mark Whitehead, Evie, Julie Pickering.