THE Royal Bolton Hospital was so busy on Tuesday that for two hours it had to divert ambulances away from its accident and emergency department.

Ambulance crews were told to take patients, except those with life-threatening conditions, to neighbouring hospitals because the casualty depatrtment was swamped with patients waiting to be treated.

A hospital spokesman said: "This happens from time to time. It doesn't mean that A & E was closed. Basically it's a way of getting a breathing space.

"There's no evidence of there being anything particular that has caused this, like an outbreak of flu. It's just been very busy."

Greater Manchester Ambulance Service was forced to divert ambulances to hospitals as far away as south Manchester for two hours between around 3pm and 5pm.

Hospital sources said the emergency department was still very busy overnight, but was accepting admissions as normal.

It is understood that the hospital is forced to go on what is described as "status red" around four times a year.