TWO orthopaedic consultants have been appointed at the University Hospitals of North Tees in Stockton and Hartlepool.

North Tees and Hartlepool NHS Trust now has 11 such consultants.

Tai Friesem has joined from the Hadassah Hospital, in Jerusalem, where he worked as a consultant spinal surgeon. With the trust, Mr Friesem will continue his interest in spinal surgery.

A former special advisor for spinal disorders for the Israeli defence forces, he trained in Nottingham, America, Switzerland and Germany.

Mr Friesem was born in the US, moving to Israel in 1972 and was a battery commander in the Israeli artillery corps.

"I wanted to work in England as I enjoy the working atmosphere here and I am closer to family and friends. The North-East is beautiful and I am captivated by the people and the place," he said.

Antoni Nargol has already been working in Stockton as a specialist registrar.

He has a special interest in lower limb and hip and knee joint replacements, with additional research work into the treatment of back pain.

He worked in Toronto in a large trauma centre to complete his training and hopes to introduce the new generation of hip replacements for young people with arthritis.

"The trust has a significant reputation for joint replacement surgery and I am delighted to be part of an excellent team," he said.

Cathy Lennox, clinical director for orthopaedics, said: "We are always striving to ensure that our patients get the best treatment possible.

"Mr Friesem and Mr Nargol will be a valuable asset to the trust and to patients."