A special care baby unit and children's ward at a Moray hospital have reopened.

NHS Grampian said it was now safe to restore the children's ward at Dr Gray's Hospital in Elgin to a seven-day service and to reopen the baby unit.

On Monday, the board published the first phase of its action plan to re-introduce services.

The downgrading of the unit came into effect in July amid ongoing concern over staffing levels.

Women considered to be at risk were forced to have their babies in Aberdeen or Inverness.

Dr Jamie Hogg, clinical director at Dr Gray's, said: "This is great news and the teams across the hospital - and across Grampian - have worked really hard to make it happen.

"Quite frankly, the progress that's been made has exceeded all our expectations.

"If you'd said even six weeks ago that we'd have been able to safely restore elective caesarean sections, reopen the Special Care Baby Unit and move the children's ward back to seven days, it would have seemed a bit far-fetched."

Dr Hogg added: "We do need to sound a note of caution though - there is still a lot of really hard work ahead and the staffing issues we continue to face at the hospital are extremely complex.

"It will still be some time before we are able to re-establish a full service."