AN 82-year-old man who was told to wait until November 2002 to see a hospital eye specialist cancelled the appointment yesterday - because he fears he will not live that long.

Retired truck driver Philip Thomas-Peter said: "It in within the realms of possibility that I could be dead by then."

The former Canadian Army soldier was stunned when a letter from York District Hospital arrived, notifying him of the 18-month wait.

He said: "I was appalled and my response to such a long wait has been to cancel the appointment. If I am lucky to live long enough, whatever is wrong with my eyes will have deteriorated during that period - so it may be all a complete waste of time."

Mr Thomas-Peter, who lives with wife, Lillian, 52, in Malton Road, York, said: "It is a case of the sooner the better at my age, and I feel I should at least get an initial examination without waiting 18 months."

He said a spot on the retina of his right eye was discovered by an optician at the end of April and he immediately saw his GP, who asked for a hospital appointment.

A spokesman for York Health Services NHS Trust said: "We are particularly concerned to hear Mr Thomas-Peter has felt it necessary to cancel his eye clinic appointment. We would urge him to contact the hospital to reinstate the appointment.

"We do have serious problems with capacity in the opthalmology service and we are at the limit of our current capacity.

"We are seeing about 25,000 our patients a year and referrals continue to rise."

The trust is drawing up plans for a new opthalmology department, recently approved as part of a £16m investment in York District Hospital.

It is also searching for extra capacity in neighbouring hospitals.

Mrs Thomas-Peter said: "I am disgusted and I certainly will not be voting Labour in the General Election.

"Philip cancelled the appointment in the hope it would jolt someone into doing something sooner. Let's hope his action bears fruit, though I have my doubts."