CANCELLED operations at East Lancashire's hospitals have fallen by nearly 40 per cent.

The number of cancelled procedures was 39 per cent down from April to September this year compared to the same period in 2005.

East Lancashire Hospitals NHS Trust had set a target of 20 per cent.

Cancellations rocketed throughout England during the last five years but have now begun to fall.

Between April and December last year, 312 operations were cancelled compared to 459, 491, 495, 542 and 434 during the same period in the previous five years.

The last time numbers were so low in East Lancashire was during the 1999/2000 financial year, when 310 operations were cancelled.

Four people did not have their operation rescheduled within 28 days between April and September this year.

Health bosses have said the number of cancelled operations is one of the reasons a controversial shake-up of services had to go through.

Most planned operations are to transfer from Royal Blackburn Hospital to Burnley General Hospital from 2009.

And about 13 per cent of Burnley's A&E cases will have to come to Blackburn.