IVAN Lewis, MP for Bury South, criticised hospital managers for "dreadful forward planning".

He said that fundamental questions had to be asked about why there were not enough beds in a brand new hospital to cope with a winter crisis.

And he insisted that the problem was not caused by lack of money, but stretched back years to when the hospital plans were still on the drawing table.

Mr Lewis said that, under the previous Government, any newly-built hospitals would have to led to a reduction in the overall number of beds, "a ludicrous policy which this Government has overturned".

He said that both he and his Bury North colleague David Chaytor had attended meetings where questions were asked about how the hospital would cope with such a reduction. "We were told not to worry about it," he said. "There would be enough flexibility on the wards to enable them to put in extra beds when necessary. It's now patently obvious that that is not true.

"It raises serious questions about local management. This is a state-of-the-art new hospital. If they knew there weren't going to be enough beds, they should have made the point more forcibly to the government of the day."

The MP said that possible bed shortages were never raised by consultants who earlier this year apologised to Bury residents for hospital services and criticised the borough's MPs for their lack of help.

"Everybody agrees that Bury has been historically under-funded, but there's now more money going into the trust than ever before," he said. "They've got the money to open as many beds as they need to cope with winter pressures."

Mr Lewis said he was anxious to ensure that patients would receive quality care in a decent environment.

"The trust management has a responsibility to make sure there are proper services available when the winter comes. We don't want to see old people left on trolleys.

"They cannot be criticised for making plans, It's just a shame they did not do so when the hospital was designed and conceived."