A PATIENT, who has been registered with the same doctor's surgery since her birth, officially opened the practice's renovated centre at the weekend.

Marion Gomersall, 77, was asked to cut the ribbon at the £750,000 renovation of Whinfield Surgery, on Saturday.

Mrs Gomersall was a patient with the practice long before it moved to its site in Whinbush Way, in the early Eighties.

Practice managers decided to carry out the work, which has been ongoing for a year, because while a number of extensions had been built over the years, they wanted a purpose-built centre to offer services.

They hope to provide a range of extra services, such as minor surgery clinics, counselling and mental health provision.

Richard Harker, who will take over as senior partner next month, said: "We've had a big extension and redevelopment of the building.

"We wanted to be able to offer all the services we need to because of the changes in the NHS. We needed more space and facilities."

Money has come from the practice itself, with the work carried out by Richardson Construction and architect Leigh Cooper.