Two hundred patients have avoided a 20-mile journey for hospital treatment because of a new service set up nearer to home.

Eastbourne District General Hospital started carrying out coronary angioplasties on patients a year ago.

The aim was to reduce the number of people having to travel to the Royal Sussex County Hospital in Brighton where the service is normally provided.

Angioplasty is a procedure where a a balloon is inserted into a narrowed section of a coronary artery to inprove circulation.

Consultant cardiologist Neil Sulke (crct) said: "We have completed our first year of commissioned angioplasty. All patients have been treated within three months and patients have definitely appreciated that they have not had to travel to Brighton for their procedure.

"We still work closely with our colleagues in Brighton and send some complex cases there but the majority are now done in Eastbourne.

"Our new lab has been superb for our patients and staff and we look forward to next year when more patients will be treated with this fabulous facility."