Kate Reid will never forget her baby daughter, Rebecca, who died before she was born four years ago.

The pregnancy – Kate's second – had been uneventful, until she went into labour.

At the hospital, doctors could not find a heartbeat.

"I had to give birth to my baby knowing that she was dead," said Kate, of Woodhouse, near Loughborough.

"There are no words that can express just how bereft I felt. Instead of leaving hospital with a bouncing baby girl, I left alone and with my life in ruins."

Doctors told Kate that the umbilical cord had wrapped around Rebecca four times and had cut off her blood supply.

On Saturday, Kate was able to share her grief with 80 other parents of babies who died during pregnancy or shortly after they were born at a service of remembrance organised by the Leicestershire branch of Sands.

The charity, which is run by bereaved parents, supports mums and dads who have experienced the death of a baby during pregnancy or soon after birth.

Its volunteers also work with local hospitals and health professionals to help improve the care offered to bereaved parents, and it provides memory boxes to help parents create memories of their newborn.

Kate, 49, began the service with a reading, and during the event the babies' names were read out and candles were lit in their memory.

Afterwards, Kate said: "This service means so much to so many people."

Kate is now a befriender with Sands and has undergone training to allow her to man a telephone helpline and advise grieving parents.

Also at the service was fellow befriender Hannah Richardson, 24, of Earl Shilton, who turned to Sands when she became overwhelmed with grief.

She said: "I lost my son, Kobey, in 2007. He died 16 days after being born.

"Everything seemed to be fine then he started to look ill. He was cold and had purple hands and feet.

"I took him to hospital because I just knew that something was badly wrong. He lost consciousness at hospital and they tried to resuscitate him, but he died in my arms.

"My husband and I left Leicester and moved to Surrey to try to put it all behind us, but I just felt so isolated.

"I developed depression and lost a lot of weight and our marriage fell apart. I had no-one to turn to.

"We want women out there to know that we are here and only at the end of a telephone. We do understand what they are going through because we have gone through it too."

Roopal Shah, 37, of Stoneygate, Leicester, is the spokeswoman for Leicestershire Sands and organised the service.

Roopal, who gave birth to a stillborn son, Dhillon, said: "Today is very special for lots of people. This is our second such service and we hope it helps people in the grieving process, at whichever stage they find themselves."

The service was conducted by the Rev Elaine Sutherland at Holy Trinity Church, in Regent Road, in the city centre.

She said: "Services such as this give people the space to pause a moment in life and connect with their grieving."

Leicestershire Sands relies on donations to be able to provide its services.

Leicester Sands can be contacted on 07721 068 464 or at:

www.leicester-sands.org.uk

To support the charity, visit:

www.justgiving.com/ Leicester-Sands