DECADES of memories were shared when dozens of former hospital workers met up for a night of nostalgia.

The 80 people who gathered in Wolsingham had worked at Holywood Hall Hospital - many had stayed friends.

For 40 years, the hospital was a sanatorium for tuberculosis patients and was used as an overspill unit for Newcastle General Hospital.

It later housed elderly psychiatric patients from around the region.

Built in the 1860s as a country mansion for industrialist Charles Attwood, it was bought by Durham County Council in 1908 and opened as a 100-bed hospital in 1913.

After it closed in 1986, the hall and its grounds were bought by a property developer and converted into homes.

Former staff nurse Rhoda Lamb, now 91, worked at Holywood for 30 years, from 1946 to 1976, assisting with major surgery .

Anne Sanderson was Anne Smith when she started as at student nurse in 1959, before moving to Bishop Auckland General to finish her training.

She said: "It was a lovely place to work. It was like a big family. TB was quite prevalent so we used to get members of the same family. One time we had a mother, son and daughter to look after.

"It was hard work, but there were some very happy times.

"They believed in fresh air treatment so we had verandas and open windows."

Ground staff worker Raymond Craggs travelled the 260 miles from Aberdeen for the party in Wolsingham Workingmen's Club, which was organised by Tom Hutchinson.

Mr Craggs left Holywood after 11 years in 1969 to work for the ambulance service and later moved to Orkney.