A vital breast cancer diagnosis service could return to Airedale Hospital early in the New Year.

Airedale NHS Trust is hoping to bring the important X-Ray service back to the Steeton hospital in February after re-training staff and appointing a new consultant radiologist.

When Dr Clive Orgles left Airedale in the summer, patients in Keighley and South Craven had to make the 28-mile round trip to St Luke's Hospital in Bradford for their X-Rays.

Since then, Airedale has appointed Dr Susan Whitecross to fill the vacancy left by Dr Orgles, and has retrained two of its other consultant radiologists in breast cancer diagnosis.

Medical Director Dr Paul Godwin says: "We are aiming to bring the service back to Airedale in February, and we hope to start bringing patients back here as soon as we possibly can.

"There is a general shortage of breast radiologists in the area, and what we have done in the interim is to provide two of our radiologists with extra training.

"We had also upgraded our equipment in the radiology department, and coupled with the extra training and the appointment of Dr Whitecross we believe the service will be improved overall."

Dr Whitecross is expected to take up her position in May.

Local health watchdog Airedale Community Health Council has welcomed the news from the hospital trust.

Chief Officer John Godward says: "We are absolutely delighted. It is good news for local women who need this breast diagnosis service.

"It saves them a long round trip to Bradford

"We congratulate the trust on achieving this as it looked earlier as if there was going to be a long wait for a radiologist."