A NURSE who broke ranks to reveal the full extent of the suffering caused by Richard Neale spoke yesterday of her "life of hell" working with the disgraced surgeon.

Amanda Pinkney, now a key figure in the campaign to force a public inquiry over the scandal, told The Northern Echo that despite her allegations about Neale's treatment of patients, no action had apparently been taken.

Mrs Pinkney , of Newton Ayclifffe, worked alongside Mr Neale for four years at the St John of God Hospital in Scorton, North Yorkshire.

She said Mr Neale would play a "tug of war" with unconscious patients, ripping tissue apart with his hands.

She also complained about his lack of basic hygiene, saying he would never scrub his hands properly or mask his face, even when he had a heavy cold.

Mrs Pinkney, who has given testimony to the solicitor acting on behalf of Mr Neale's former patients, is the first medical professional to publicly condemn the practices of the shamed consultant obstetrician and gynaecologist.

She said: "He just had no finesse and no standards at all, morally or in his practices.

"You are going to get pain in any abdominal surgery, but his patients were writhing in pain afterwards. They wouldn't heal up properly and these women will have been in pain for months.

"I mentioned it to my superiors, but I was fobbed off and told to be a nurse and not a doctor. It was a life of hell knowing what Neale was doing."

Mrs Pinkney worked at the hospital between 1989 and 1993, starting as an anaesthetic recovery nurse and later moving to work with Mr Neale in theatre.

Mr Neale carried out private operations at the hospital on one day each week, and worked mainly as head of maternity at the Friarage Hospital in Northallerton, North Yorkshire.

He was struck off the medical register by the General Medical Council seven months ago after being found guilty of 34 out of 35 allegations made against him by patients.

Graham Maloney, spokes-man for the patients' support group, said Mrs Pinkney's evidence would be "invaluable in any investigation".

St John of God Hospital was contacted last night but no one was available to comment.