DISAPPOINTED patients and staff at Royal Preston hospital were denied the chance to read out their tributes to Diana Princess of Wales on national television.

The hospital had been chosen as the centre to represent the North West region and staff gathered with ex-patients who met her on her 1993 visit.

One or two got the chance to pay their respects early on Saturday morning (Sept 6) but a technical fault with BBC equipment meant no more could be filmed. A hospital spokesman said: "We were disappointed as we were supposed to be the main contact for the North West area and we'd got everyone together.

"It's unfortunate there were one or two technical problems but there was nothing that could be done about it." Despite the hitch everyone still had chance to say a quiet prayer for Diana at the hospital and a one minute silence was impeccably observed.

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