BARNOLDSWICK'S new NHS dental surgery has opened its doors and is welcoming patients with the clear message: "It's a local service for local people."

But residents wishing to get on the list at the new Barnoldswick Dental Centre in Park Avenue have been warned that the only way to do so is by phone.

A telephone registering system has been put in place to accommodate inquiries from Barnoldswick and Earby residents who have either BB18 or BB8 postcodes.

The new service has been provided by Burnley, Pendle and Rossendale Primary Care Trust (PCT), as part of its pledge to replace those NHS facilities lost to the town last year.

The decision by one of Barnoldswick's dental practices to treat private patients only meant around 4,000 local people were de-registered, much to the dismay of local health chiefs and Pendle MP Gordon Prentice, who lives in the town.

However, PCT dental health managers moved swiftly, working with the dental provider Integrated Dental Holdings to find alternative premises and dentists to replace the lost NHS provision.

Despite setbacks due to initial planning objections, the PCT has now not only replaced the 4,000 places, but added another 2,000.

And the new Park Avenue facility comes on top of existing NHS services in Barnoldswick at the PCT's Personal Dental Surgery in Harrison Street and the NHS mobile unit that visits Earby twice a week.

Catriona Logan, the PCT's director of service provision, said: "Despite the general shortage of dentists we are delighted to have secured the services of three dentists, bringing them into the area to work across the two chairs at the Barnoldswick Dental Centre.

"We encountered initial local planning hiccups, but have been heartened by the support from the overwhelming majority of people in Barnoldswick.

"Many have let us know how pleased they are with our efforts. In fact, many are astounded that we have been able to make such speedy progress."

But Mrs Logan stressed that to achieve an orderly expansion of patient numbers it was essential that people joined the list through the dental access telephone number.

She added: "People will not be able to get on the list by turning up on the doorstep. The system in place is fair, manageable and more convenient for local people. It is designed to cater for residents with Barnoldswick and Earby area postcodes.

"We know that is what local people want and we are doing our best to accommodate them as quickly as possible."

Peter Sellars, head of primary care development for the PCT, added: "We really are delighted with the progress made in Barnoldswick.

"Everybody knows the major difficulties that NHS dentistry is facing and the setbacks we have encountered, such as the decision by some dentists to leave the NHS and set up as private practices.

"Despite this, we are making great progress in the Pendle area, with our new emergency treatment centre in Nelson working well and with the prospect of the Primary Care Trust's Yarnspinners Health Centre offering state-of-the-art NHS dental facilities in the future.

"Now we have another NHS service up and running in Barnoldswick. We promised it and now we have delivered."

Patients wishing to register with Barnoldswick Dental Centre must ring the NHS Direct number 0845 4647 and ask for Dentistry's Central Access Allocation.