Television personality and ex-Blue Peter presenter Anthea Turner visited Epsom Hospital this week to unveil a brand new CT scanner.

The £634,000 machine, funded by the trust's annual development budget, will help doctors to spot life-threatening conditions such as cancer and blood clots faster than ever before by capturing detailed images of patients’ arteries, organs and tissue.

Anthea Turner, who lives in Surrey, said: “As a local resident, it is a great pleasure to be here today to officially open this fantastic CT scanner.

“It’s an amazing piece of technology which we are lucky to have in our local hospital - it is saving lives. “Having spoken to the leading doctors, radiographers and other staff from the department, it’s clear to me that this new scanner is having a very positive impact on patients, and I am incredibly proud to declare it officially open.”

Chief executive Matthew Hopkins said: “We are particularly proud of the new scanner.

“It’s the very latest in technology and it will significantly improve the care we are able to give to our patients.

“Like hospitals up and down the country, we are facing tough financial times. However, we’re committed to ensuring we have the latest technology across our hospital sites and this new scanner, which will undoubtedly help to save lives, is worth every penny.”