Food served at Oxford Children's Hospital is no longer too horrid to swallow, according to staff.

Managers claim food on the wards is appetising for young patients and available most of the day.

News of the improvements came as children's cancer charity Clic Sargent launched its Fit to Eat Campaign, raising awareness about poor food provided for children staying at UK hospitals.

In a survey of ward-based Clic Sargent staff, 40 per cent said meals were unappetising, bland and lacking in nutrition, while a third said dishes were not appropriate for sick children, who often refused to eat them.

Work to improve food at Oxford Children's Hospital followed an investigation by NHS managers into one family's complaints that their five-year-old child was being put at risk because of the poor menu.

Roy and Pat Wilson, of Milton-under-Wychwood, said their son Fraser was not eating meals during his leukaemia treatment because dishes he chose never arrived and he was given unappetising alternatives.

The young patient was admitted to Kamran's ward in April, and months of chemotherapy had left his appetite so weak that Mr Wilson was angry that tasty food was not available to keep his strength up.

As a result, managers have worked closely with Carillion - the firm which provides the meals - to make sure children are given mouth-watering cuisine exactly when they want it.

Two months ago, they launched a Cook To Order Menu for Kamran's cancer ward and Melanie's adolescent ward, so patients can pick from a range of dishes at a moment's notice.

Between 10.30am and 7.30pm, they can order meals and foods like macaroni cheese, spaghetti bolognaise, cottage pie, yoghurt, chocolate muffin and fresh fruit.

One patient, Alex Lewis, pictured above, said he was happy with the food and had seen improvements compared to a previous stay at the hospital.

Mr Wilson praised the improvements, although Fraser had not tested them because he was transferred to Bristol Children's Hospital in the summer for a successful bone marrow transplant.

He said: "The hospital has to get away from giving children an overly nutritious diet instead of things they will eat.

"Children's appetites are often low after illness and treatment, and you need to get them to eat again, and that means tasty things they want to eat.

"Fraser's doctor thanked us for highlighting the problem, because they really have changed the meal structure now."

Mr Wilson also welcomed the Clic Sargent Fit to Eat Campaign, and said it was a good idea.

A children's hospital spokesman said patients, staff, parents and hospital dieticians were all consulted during the catering improvements, to make sure meals were nutritional and appealing.

She said: "The Cook to Order Menu gives patients on these two wards the flexibility to order the food they want to eat when they want it. We plan to extend the system as soon as we're confident we have a recipe for success. Patients re-visiting the hospital are telling us that the food has definitely improved, and we're delighted with these positive reports."