PEOPLE from East Lancashire have aired their opinions after vending machines which sell 'healthy' hot food have been installed in hospitals.

The machines, which offer food including paninis, chicken nuggets, potato wedges and other main meal options, have been introduced in Burnley General Teaching Hospital and Accrington Victoria Hospital.

East Lancashire Hospitals NHS Trust (ELHT) said 79 per cent of the meals, which were supplied by a company called Bon Appetit, are below 400 calories per portion with less than five grams of saturated fat for every 100g of the meal.

All main meals are less than £3 each with the machines in particular catering for night-shift staff at the hospitals who do not have access to the canteen.

Our readers took to our website and Facebook to comment on the vending machines, with many critical of the idea and questioning the cost of the products and how healthy they are.

A reader who called themselves 'Stocky Blue' said: "It's a recipe for even more obesity and fat folk waddling around the NHS."

Marcus Riley, agreed saying: "How is that healthy?

"Macaroni and cheese, chicken nuggets, curry, what looks to be like a microwave sausage and egg Mcmuffin?

"These are just the ready meals they sell at Asda but for three times the price. Not healthy at all."

Nathan McLean said: "Expensive...........similar meals are £1 at Asda, or five for £4 - buy a weeks worth, and save yourself £7 - £8. "

Peter Magill said: "How long before these ready meals replace the well-trained staff at RBH and BGH during the day?"

Carole Taylor added: "No doubt sitting alongside machines selling sugary pop, crisps and chocolate - should be banned from hospitals."

The vending machines will be available 24 hours, seven days a week, with the canteen still open as normal between 8am and 7pm for Burnley and 11.45pm to 1.30pm for Accrington.

They are refrigerated and situated near a microwave and people can purchase the items as in a normal vending machine.

The purchaser then needs to scan the product barcode, put it into the microwave and it heats it for the required amount of time.

The trust purchases the stock from Bon Appetit and its catering team replenishes and replaces the stock when necessary.