The work of the Yorkshire Cochlear Implant Service, based at Royal Bradford Infirmary, really is world-class - in every sense of the word.

Not only is it groundbreaking work which has transformed the lives of deaf people by giving them the gift of hearing, it is also making its presence felt in far-flung corners of the world.

The team from the service have just completed their first surgery in Malawi, where they implanted their tiny technological marvels in two children and... allowed them to hear words, music and the sounds of the world around them.

One of Bradford's implant surgeons, David Strachan, is too self-deprecating by half when he describes the intricate surgery they perform as merely being the work of "plumbers".

But he is right when he says that the real magic is the implant itself, which is inserted into the inner ear and sends an electrical current to the brain, providing the sensation of sound, and also the after-care and rehabilitation of those who have received the surgery, ensuring that they maximise the benefits of the implant.

The surgeons at the service have completed more than 1,000 such operations, and their work truly is life-changing for those who have benefited from it.

Now they have opened up a new frontier in the shape of Malawi, which has a huge rate of hearing loss due to preventable diseases such as mumps, measles and malaria.

The Cochlear Implant Service should be hailed as the pride of Bradford, and long may their work continue, wherever in the world they find themselves. It is a credit to us all that the team is having such joyous success.