A hospital scanner has been put out of action after rain leaked through a roof and damaged the computer which operated it.

Engineers were due to arrive at the Royal Sussex County Hospital in Brighton today to repair the damage.

Any patients needing an emergency magnetic resonance image (MRI) scan are being sent to Hurstwood Park neurological centre in Haywards Heath or Worthing Hospital.

Brighton Health Care NHS Trust is planning to hold extra scanning sessions for non-emergency patients at weekends in a bid to clear the backlog caused by the machine being out of use.

There is a six-month waiting list for non-urgent scans.

Some patients may now find themselves having to wait an extra week or two while the backlog is cleared.

The scanner is a sophisticated diagnostic machine which produces clear, detailed pictures of the body and helps doctors decide the most appropriate treatment for each patient.

It is also ideal for monitoring the progress of treatment because it uses a strong magnet, rather than potentially harmful radiation.

This means patients can have any number of scans without adverse side effects.

The MRI's computer is based in the hospital's 150-year-old Barry building. The trust says the building needs at least £1 million spent on it for refurbishment and repairs.

A spokesman said: "We hope people will appreciate and understand we are doing everything possible to clear any backlog and apologise in any extra delay they may have to face.

"Some of the buildings here are very old and it takes a great deal to keep them maintained."

The computer was damaged on October 31.