People are invited to have a go at using a camera to see inside a mannequin’s stomach or to try their hand at a pretend biopsy during the first public opening of the new endoscopy unit at Airedale General Hospital There will be lots for everyone to do on Saturday, October 5, from 10am to 4pm, including a tour of the brand new unit with equipment, advice from specialist nurses about bowel cancer screening, Crohn’s disease and health and wellbeing as well as a chance for children to dress up in gowns and masks.

The new £2.4 million new endoscopy unit opened to its first patients in July but this is the first time the public has been able to see behind the scenes.

It offers better facilities for patients, including greater privacy, and an extra procedure room so that more people can be treated. The old unit carried out 9,000 procedures a year and this will increase by a third. It is also one of the few endoscopy units in the country to be linked to a decontamination unit.

To mark the occasion the Lord Mayor of Bradford, Councillor Khadim Hussain, will be opening the unit at 11am, alongside retired surgeon Archie McAdam.