I HAVE heard a report of a most alarming nature and I would like to ask a series of questions. Am I right in thinking the MRI Scanner in Darlington Memorial Hospital is owned by a private company?

Is it true the NHS pays between £800 to £2,000 to that company every time this scanner is used? Does a new MRI scanner cost £1.2 million?

I am told ten people a day are using the scanner.

If the scanner is only employed five days-a-week and only the lower fee of £800 is ever paid based on these figures, would that mean we are paying in fees 160 per cent annually of the cost of the scanner?

I think it would be a worthwhile project for us all to get together as a town and raise the money to buy our own scanner.

The money it would save the NHS in less than eight months is equivalent to the cost of a new MRI scanner.

Contractually, how long are we committed to the present deal for? I wonder who exactly owns the private company which owns the scanner we are currently using?

Nigel F Boddy, Darlington.