A GRANDAD who underwent major spinal surgery today spoke of his shock after he was told that he would have to wait almost a year for physiotherapy treatment.

Bill Duffy, 60, of Hollin Street, Blackburn, had a major operation to repair a damaged spinal cord about 18 months ago at Royal Preston Hospital.

As he recovered in hospital, he then suffered a massive cardiac arrest and his heart stopped beating for 30 seconds before he was revived by medics.

Mr Duffy, a former armourer in the Royal Air Force, was later referred to the physiotherapy unit at Blackburn Infirmary after he lost the movement in his right arm.

But after waiting for almost three months, he was stunned when he was told that he would have to wait up to 46 weeks for treatment at Blackburn Infirmary. Today Mr Duffy, who lives with his wife Meta and has 13 grandchildren said: "Although the doctors have told me that my arm will never be the same again, I could not believe it when I was told the wait for physio would be about 46 weeks."

Mr Duffy underwent the surgery in September 1998 to have bone taken from his hip and grafted onto his damaged spine. He suffered a heart attack while he was recovering from the operation and spent several weeks in intensive care.

Rob Bellingham, Blackburn, Hyndburn and Ribble Valley NHS Trust's director of corporate development, said: "The 46-week wait is the worst case scenario and is the maximum wait.

"Demand on the system has tripled since 1993 and that is something we are well aware of."

He said patients were split into three categories -- urgent, who were usually treated within a week; semi-urgent, who were seen within three weeks and chronic who currently have to wait up to 46 weeks.