AN MP today pledged to investigate claims an eight-year-old boy had to wait almost two days in hospital for treatment to a broken arm.

Eddie Armitt said he took his step-son John Walters-Wood, eight, to Burnley General Hospital on Thursday evening after the youngster fractured his arm at his karate club.

But he said the boy was not treated until 10.30am on Saturday morning after a wait of 41 hours and four cancelled operations.

Burnley Health Care NHS Trust were today investigating the claims but nobody was available to comment further.

Today Mr Armitt, 43, a factory operative from Dugdale Road in Burnley, said he wanted to raise the matter with Prime Minister Tony Blair. Burnley MP Peter Pike said he would be looking into the case.

Mr Armitt, who works at Packaging Supplies on the Heasondford Industrial Estate, said: "I am absolutely livid that my son has had to wait so long for what turned out to be a five minute operation, it is an absolute disgrace.

"What sort of advert is it for the National Health Service when an eight-year-old child has to wait for more than 40 hours for an operation.

"I'd love to be able to get in touch with Mr Blair and tell him how outraged I am about this situation, not just for myself and for John, but for other people who may have been treated like this. It is the bigger picture that is especially worrying.

"I don't want to criticise the nursing staff because they were wonderful, it's the management I am concerned about.

"John was in pain through all this and he just wanted to get it over with and get home. After the operation was cancelled for the second time he just burst into tears because he was so upset."

Mr Armitt said John, a pupil at Ightenhill County Primary School in Alder Street, had fractured his arm in two places while practising karate at the Thompson Centre.

He said that initially he had taken John to the A&E department but had then been transferred to a ward where John had to wait for surgery to re-set the fracture.

Mr Armitt added: "We waited in A and E for five hours before we were put on a ward and were then told that John could have his operation at 9am the next morning.

"That was cancelled and we were told it would be 2pm that afternoon, but that was cancelled too and put back to 5pm. That one was cancelled and at 9pm they told us the operation wouldn't happen until the next morning.

"Finally, at 10.30am on Saturday John got his operation, which turned out to be a five-minute job."

A spokesman for the Community Health Council in Burnley said they would not comment on individual cases, but that they would be happy to help Mr Armitt make a complaint if he wished.

MP for Burnley Peter Pike said: "I will make inquiries about what has happened at the hospital and will take the matter further if Mr Armitt gets in touch with him."

A spokesman for Burnley NHS Healthcare Trust said: "We can confirm that the patient came into A and E at 8.20pm on Thursday night and was admitted to Deerplay ward at midnight.

"At this moment we cannot discuss the case further as we do not have consent from the patient. We are looking into this case and will be contacting the family.

"In terms of waiting times in this department I can also confirmn that more than 80 per cent of patients are released within the national four hour guideline."