A new £1.2 million centre used to treat people with heart problems has officially opened at Croydon University Hospital.

The Croydon Heart Centre also includes £180,000 worth of analysis equipment and a new electrocardiographs (ECGs).

Cardiac consultant Dr Asif Qasim said: “We think this new unit gives the people of Croydon the state-of-the-art facilities they deserve.

"We are very proud of the new centre that is purpose-designed to meet the needs of the 30,000 patients we see here each year.

"We have a fantastic team and are delighted to now have such excellent facilities.”

Open All Hours and Eastenders actress Lynda Baron was on hand to unveiling a new plaque in the centre’s main reception area and was impressed with what she saw.

“On behalf of the general public I would like to say that we normally walk past hospital buildings and don’t notice them,” she said.

“We don’t know what happens in them day in and day out until the day we might need them.”

Trust chief executive, John Goulston, thanked Ms Baron for officially opening the centre and all the staff who had made it possible.

“This is a fantastic facility not just for our patients but also for the staff,” he said.

“Asif and his colleagues worked so hard to get to this point and all are delivering excellent care for people in our community.”