Airedale hospital is seeking to spend £2.6 million upgrading its

x-ray department.

It will be the first major investment in the unit since

Airedale General Hospital was built 30 years ago.

It will also involve buying the latest scanning equipment,

which at present is hired.

Hospital bosses want to start the project in April and have

it completed within two years.

The trust's planning director, Doug Farrar, said the project

involved expanding into the hospital's former theatres,

which had stood empty since a new theatre block was

completed about five years ago.

He said: "We want to make a start in April. There will be a

couple of difficult years because the workmen will have to

work around the department.

"We can plan for that and work through it. We will continue

to provide a full range of services for patients.

"When it is finished it will be a state-of-the-art department

linked to the haematology and oncology day unit and

breast clinic."

Mr Farrar stressed the importance of the project.

He said: "The department was designed 30 years ago and

since then there have been significant changes. We need

to re-design the unit to cope with the increased numbers of

people using it and the improved range of services."