STAFF at Burnley General Hospital made no bones about it when they had to remove patient John Goodier's cast from his leg.

They used cutting edge technology to whisk the plaster cast off in half the time it used to take, thanks to a donation from non-profit making, national healthcare provider Health Sure.

The organisation paid £5,000 for the fracture clinic at the hospital to buy two new De Soutter cast saws, which cut down the time it takes to remove casts, saving patients an anxious and itchy wait.

John became the first patient to try out the new piece of equipment, when Sister Yvonne Hope from the fracture clinic wielded the saw.

She said: "The donation of these new saws is great news for the clinic. They're 'cutting edge' technically and, as such, will really speed up the number of patients we can see each day.

"Most people find wearing a cast a bit of a nuisance as they're so cumbersome so this is a fantastic news for patients."

Health Sure trustee Winn Cameron, who was there to see the procedure, said: "It has been a pleasure to visit Burnley General today and see the valuable work that goes on here.

"I wish John and every other fracture patient the very best and hope that they'll be a little luckier or more careful in future."