SIX patients waited more than four hours for a bed after being admitted to Burnley General Hospital from the accident and emergency unit.

A hospital spokesman said the circumstances were exceptional, in an extremely busy period, and no-one waited more than four hours during the last four of the seven month period under scrutiny.

A further 75 of almost 5,000 patients admitted, via accident and emergency between June and December 1999, faced waiting between two and four hours.

A report to today's meeting of Burnley Health Trust board stated that the remaining admissions waited less than two hours for a bed.

The report also showed almost 87.2 per cent of outpatients were seen within 30 minutes of an appointment time between September and December -- 8 per cent fewer than the position between June and August.