BOLTON'S chronic shortage of nurses prompted a jobs shop in the Market Place this week -- with hundreds of prospective medical staff signing up for application forms.

Both community and hospital trust bosses have organised the event as part of an NHS crisis over the lack of staff.

The Royal Bolton Hospital has more than 120 full time nursing vacancies which is putting front-line staff under pressure.

The hospital's stand, in the Market Place, resulted in more than 100 callers ringing through to the recruitment office for application forms.

Nurses who had left, or 'retired', were also expressing an interest in returning to work at the hospital. A spokesman for the Bolton Hospitals NHS Trust said: "We have had enquiries from around 100 people about all kinds of jobs in nursing, physicians and pharmacy.

"It has been a fantastic success."

The Community Healthcare Bolton NHS Trust, also reported a success in their separate stand in the Market Place.

Mrs Lynn Hartley, Director of Human Resources with the community trust said: "It is important that everyone in the local community is made aware of the vast range of jobs and careers available to people of all ages and all social and ethnic groups.