PATIENTS are likely to have a cosier stay in hospital, thanks to a £42,000 improvement scheme.

The Tees and North East Yorkshire NHS Trust is begin- ning a three-week project at at Guisborough General Hospital to replace all the windows in the Chaloner block with double glazed units.

While the work is carried out, South Tees Hospitals NHS Trust is closing a maternity ward so it can be used by patients from Chaloner. Maternity patients are being moved to South Cleveland Hospital.

Out-patients, minor injuries and out-of-hours services on the ground floor will continue as usual.

Hospital manager Margaret Baily said: "We will try to keep the disruption to a minimum. However, we would ask patients and visitors to bear with us for three weeks."