A PHYSICAL activity instructor has joined a team of specialist nurses helping to fight heart disease.

Nancy Dobson, is part of the Durham and Chester-le-Street Primary Care Trust's community cardiac rehabilitation team, which helps improve the treatment of people with heart disease.

Ms Dobson's role is to provide cardiac rehabilitation in community centres so that people who cannot travel can benefit from the service.

The six-week cardiac rehabilitation programme includes exercise, relaxation and health education.

Sessions are now run regularly at Chester-le-Street Parish Centre and Silver Courts in Brandon, as well as at the University Hospital of North Durham.

Ann Oliver, cardiovascular specialist nurse with Durham and Chester-le-Street PCT, said: "The emphasis is very much on team work. The partnership we have with the cardiac rehabilitation scheme from the University Hospital of North Durham and Durham and Chester-le-Street Lifestyle Initiative has made this possible."

As part of the programme, patients are encouraged to adopt a healthy lifestyle by not smoking, eating a well-balanced diet and controlling their alcohol intake.