A FORMER North-East MP who campaigned for a new hospital for 15 years has seen his dream come true.

Lord Radice, the former long-serving MP for Chester-le-Street, chose the official opening of the £10m hospital to make his first public appearance since he stepped down three years ago.

The Labour peer pointed out that this was the sixth hospital to open in County Durham since the Government took office in 1997.

"It is probably the biggest hospital building programme since the days of the Victorians," said Lord Radice.

Watched by councillors and health officials, Lord Radice unveiled a plaque.

"I and many others campaigned for at least 15 years for a new community hospital for the town," he said.

"In the past, patients and staff had to put up with prefabs dating back to wartime and a main building more than 100 years old."

Lord Radice said the privately-financed hospital was an asset the town could be proud of.

Councillor Tom Harland, chairman of Chester-le-Street District Council, said: "It's outstanding. It looks good, it's a credit to the town."

Patient Bill Welch, 65, of Langley Moor, said the hospital was a big improvement on the previous split-site facility.

"It is nice and airy - beautiful. The staff are grand and I am getting first class attention," he said.

Margaret Gray, head of therapy services, said all the staff were "absolutely thrill-ed" at the new hospital.

Apart from two in-patient wards on the first floor the hospital has a wide range of community facilities on the ground floor, including footcare, dentistry, occupational therapy and physiotherapy.

The hospital also has a modern ultrasound and x-ray department.