A matron who lost her job because of a row about Filipino nurses has been temporarily replaced.

Denise Chaffer will be acting matron at Worthing and Southlands Hospitals NHS Trust for six months.

She is standing in for Rosemary Cranna, who sparked outrage when she sent a letter threatening to send Filipino nurses working at the trust's hospitals home in disgrace because she had heard rumours of shoplifting.

Fellow nurses were furious and complained to Health Secretary Alan Milburn, the Royal College of Nursing and the Commission for Racial Equality.

Mrs Cranna later apologised and stepped down.

Mrs Chaffer will stay in the post until the return of the trust's permanent matron Martin Smits, who has been on secondment for a year at Eastbourne District General Hospital.

She said: "I am delighted to have been invited to take up this secondment.

"It will provide me with an excellent opportunity to be actively involved with the day-to-day management of this busy hospital.

"I hope to make an effective contribution to the quality of patient care provided to the local population."