A NEW road crossing refuge outside a hospital had to be dug up within days --because it stopped a mobile operating theatre making its regular calls to the site.

The concrete platform, which lets pedestrians wait in the middle of the road, was finished on a Friday but had to be removed the next Monday before the 60 tonne mobile theatre turned up for its regular appointment the following day.

Lancashire County Council engineers were called in to remove the crossing point from Haslingden Road, Rawtenstall, outside Rossendale Hospital, after the gaffe was spotted.

The mobile unit was drafted in by hospital bosses to slash waiting times for cataract operations.

Today the county council came under fire from councillors who said they were dismayed at the news.

Rossendale borough councillor Janet Graham said more consultation should have taken place to avoid the confusion.

She said: "I don't think it is necessary where they put it. Everybody who has seen it says what the hell have they put it there for?"

David Hancock, leader of the council's Labour group said: "It is unfortunate that we have engineers at the highways department who obviously haven't looked at the operational requirements of the hospital and cost the council taxpayer a considerable amount of money.

"We don't want to lose the facility for people crossing the road but when they look for another site they should be more careful about where they look."

Gary Hennighan, a spokesman for Lancashire County Council, said: "Before the driver delivers this cataract unit he always does a dry run without the lorry first.

"He did the dry run and noticed that since his last visit a refuge island had been installed and there was no way of turning.

"As a result he told the hospital, who got in touch with highway engineers who came out to dig up the island and resurface the area where it had been.

"The driver came with the unit and was able to deliver it OK.

"We are aware of the situation and are holding talks with transport officers and the NHS about a solution.

"One option is to install a removable refuge island which can be taken out easily if any unusually large vehicles need to turn into the hospital. We are looking at all options available."