NORTH-EAST shipyard workers are to turn a disused ferry into a floating hospital to help people in Africa.

The Africa Mercy cost £4m and is undergoing an £8m refit at the Cammell Laird shipyard in Hebburn, South Tyneside, where workers are awaiting a buyer for the business.

When it returns to sea in about a years' time, the ferry will become the latest and largest of the fleet of four hospitals run by charity Mercy Ships.

The roll-on roll-off ferry has had its bow and stern doors welded shut and the original car and lorry through-deck has been split horizontally into two decks.

Eventually they will hold six operating theatres, a six-bed ward and staff quarters.

There will also be room for 24 containers of supplies, 24 Land Rovers, and a water-well digging rig.

Graeme Wells, operations manager for the ship, said: "The fleet has already helped more than 400,000 people, and with the Africa Mercy we will be able to reach out to even more.

"Most of our doctors and medical staff are volunteers who give up their holidays to spend time with us.

"Out of a crew of 450 there will be 100 medical staff on board. Twenty will be full-time volunteers, and the rest will spend a short time helping out."

The £4m for the ship was paid out on the international charity's behalf by Britain's wealthiest businesswoman, Ann Gloag, co-founder of the Stagecoach bus company.

Her involvement with the charity began after the suicide of her 28-year-old son, Jonathan, two years ago. Devastated, she returned to her original career as a nurse.

Estimated to be worth £200m, she recently took up an unpaid job as a nurse on the Africa Mercy's sister ship, the Anastasis, in Benin, a former French colony bordering Nigeria.