A PENSIONER claims patients were left out in the cold after a hospital ward ran out of blankets.

Mr David Hayhurst (79) says he had to ask twice for a blanket during last week's cold spell. He had been admitted to ward 12 in Fairfield General Hospital on Sunday (March 9) following an accident at his home in Longsight Road, Holcombe Brook.

The Pennine Acute Hospital NHS Trust responsible for Fairfield Hospital admitted there had been a problem in providing the bed linen Mr Hayhurst asked for and have now apologised.

Mr Hayhurst told the Bury Times: "There were just thin sheets on the beds and it was a cold night. I asked the nurse for a blanket, but nothing happened and I had to ask again. This time she came back with a quilt. But the rest of the people on the ward had to do without. And they must have been cold as well."

He added: "When I left on Thursday, the person next to me asked for my quilt, which I gave to him."

The married family man spent three days in hospital. He added: "My family, like me, were disgusted at what had happened. I don't blame the nurses, they tried their best. It is the management's fault.

"I even had to ask for another pillow because the one on my bed was so small. I just don't want something like this to happen to any other patient."

A spokesman for the hospital trust said: "We were very sorry indeed to hear of the difficulties experienced by Mr Hayhurst. On enquiry, there is no shortage of bed linen, including blankets and pillows, for the wards at Fairfield Hospital.

"There may have been a problem of immediate availability on the the ward in question. We apologise that there was a delay in providing Mr Hayhurst with the bed linen he requested."

She added: "We are not aware of any other requests being made for bed linen."