SECURITY at a hospital is to be overhauled following a spate of thefts.

Cleveland Police say there have been several thefts from Middlesbrough General Hospital over recent weeks, culminating in the latest, on Sunday, when the same ward was targeted twice.

The first incident happened at about 2.30am, when a man walked into a patient's room in ward 47 and stole her purse while she slept.

Despite the efforts of security guards, neither he nor the purse were found.

At about 6.15pm, the ward was burgled again, when a man with a similar description made off with a television.

Paul Birch, assistant director of hotel services for South Tees Hospitals NHS Trust, said action is being taken.

"We will be overhauling the internal systems to see if we can do things better," he said.

"Among the questions we will ask are 'do we advise patients to hand over their goods for the night safe?' We also have to look at what the ward did to activate a quick response.

"We will learn lessons from this."

Mr Birch said in the second of Sunday's incidents, the thief escaped through the Ayresome Street entrance, which should have been closed at the time.

He said the hospital takes security very seriously, having officers on patrol, closed-circuit television cameras and panic alarms, but that with the number of people coming in and out, it was difficult to eradicate crime.

"We have a very good security system, but nationally, crime is on the increase throughout the NHS," he said. "Whether this is a gang or individuals, it is something we don't want, but neither do we want our hospitals becoming fortresses."

Peter Johnson, chief officer for South Tees Community Health Council, said: "This is very regrettable for the lady who lost her purse and all the patients who will not be able to watch television.

"When people are ill, a shock like that could make them worse. We totally condemn such selfish and potentially dangerous actions."

The thief is described as white, aged between 20 and 25, 5ft 8in to 5ft 10in, of medium build with very short, cropped, receding black hair. He was wearing blue jeans, a black padded jacket and white trainers, and may have been accompanied by another man wearing a white jacket.

Witnesses should contact PC 1556 Alastair Simpson on (01642) 301026.