IT will be bedlam on Sunday when nurses set off on a marathon bed push to their new home in Chorley.

Around 20 nursing staff, all dressed up in hospital scrubs, will be taking part in the gruelling nine-and-a-half mile trek from their Sharoe Green Hospital to Chorley and South Ribble Hospital.

And not only will they make an unusual entrance to their new workplace -- complete with skeleton Fred in tow -- they hope to start at the new site by buying £8,500 worth of equipment for the new ward.

The department will be the last major service to leave Sharoe Green Hospital in Fulwood as it prepares to close its doors for the final time after more than 70 years.

Staff will transfer to the new orthopaedic Sellers ward at Chorley, on September 11 and 12, and are hoping their stunt on Sunday will bring in enough cash to buy an electric bath.

So shoppers and drivers are being urged to dig deep and toss plenty of pennies into the fund-raisers' collection buckets as they make their way through the main streets pushing Fred in the specially modified hospital bed.

"It will be no pushover and will need a great team effort," said ward sister, Margaret Dodds.

"The bed push is going to be great fun and hopefully we can raise enough money to buy the bath which will make a huge difference to people who have had hip replacements."

The bed push drive for cash has been organised by orthopaedic staff nurse, Fiona Jones, who has worked in the department for seven years.

"Although there is an electric bath for patients on Leyland ward, the orthopaedic ward already at Chorley, there isn't one for the new ward," she said.

"But for people who have had hip replacements an electric bath is much easier to use. So we're asking people to please give generously and help us get one for Sellers ward."

The new orthopaedic unit at Chorley opens after next weekend following the department's relocation.

But first the staff must complete their mighty mission which starts at the Sharoe Green site at 10am and travels along Sharoe Green Lane; Watling Street Road; Sir Tom Finney Way; Deepdale Road; Stanley Street; London Road; Higher Walton Road; Chorley Old Road; Station Road; Lostock Lane; and Preston Road; before arriving at Chorley Hospital at about 4pm.