PARENTS Gordon and Julia Loy have complained to hospital bosses after the maternity ward where their baby was born was like a “building site”.

The proud couple say the happiest day of their lives was ruined by workmen banging and drilling outside the delivery room at Taunton’s Musgrove Park Hospital.

“It was absolutely unbelievable – they were renovating the ward while women were giving birth,” said Mr Loy.

“The noise from the drilling and banging was incredible while Julia was in full labour.

“We had an awful experience – I wonder if Peter Andre and his partner went through the same thing when their baby was born in Musgrove.

“Julia couldn’t relax and was struggling to give birth because of all the stress.

“At one stage she had to leave the room for the toilet and walked past a group of men working.

“They’re letting mothers give birth on a building site.”

Baby Vincent was born last month weighing 7lb 9oz and is now home with the family in Langford Budville.

Nursing and governance director Carol Dight said Musgrove strives to deliver “high quality care and excellent experience” and she was sorry to hear Mr and Mrs Loy’s concerns.

She said the maternity unit was built in the 1940s and £1million is being invested in improvements.

She added: “Before and during the building works, we’ve been working to ensure expectant women are aware of the improvement works underway, as well as any potential disruption these works may cause to them during their labour.

“Each woman booked to give birth at Musgrove will have received a letter explaining the current situation and they’d also have been given the opportunity to discuss this with their midwife, should they have any concerns.

“Although we’ve made every effort to plan the works so patients experience minimal disruption, we do know that from time to time, there will be occasions when there will be increased levels of noise.

“There have been occasions when, if a woman has been experiencing a difficult birth or has become clearly anxious about the level of noise, we’ve asked the builders to stop working for a period of time which they’ve done.”