FOOTBALL manager Harry Redknapp was often heard saying his squads were ‘down to the bare bones’ due to injuries.

That catchphrase took on a whole new meaning this week, as the former West Ham, Tottenham and Portsmouth boss re-opened the revamped radiology unit at Wimborne’s Victoria Hospital.

A donation of £350,000 combined with £255,000 of charitable funding from the Friends of Victoria Hospital has seen Dorset HealthCare refurbish two x-ray rooms at the site to deliver improved imaging and increased capacity.

Dorset resident Harry, who won TV’s I’m a Celebrity Get me out of here! contest in 2018, was joined at the re-opening by Mayor of Wimborne, Diann March, hospital staff and other NHS representatives, as well as family members of the legacy donor and Friends of Victoria Hospital group members to unveil the new state-of-the-art technology.

West Ham legend Harry Redknapp is shown the new state-of-the-art facilities at Victoria Hospital, Wimborne

Brad Rootes, Dorset HealthCare’s East Dorset and Purbeck locality manager, said: “We would like to thank the local family for their generous legacy donation, which together with the support of the Friends of Victoria Hospital has enabled this substantial refurbishment for the benefit of local people and staff.

“We are always incredibly grateful for the support from the local community and Friends of Victoria Hospital which allows us to continually update facilities to enhance services and the experience of our patients.”

Anne Salter, chair of the Friends of Victoria Hospital, added: “We are delighted to be supporting further refurbishments at Victoria Hospital which is at the heart of what we stand for – striving to improve, helping patients of the hospital and others in the community to get the care they need.

“If anyone would like to get involved by becoming a member or a simple one-off donation, we guarantee it will be spent on benefitting the hospital.”

To become a Friend or to donate to the hospital, visit www.friendswimbornehospital.org.uk/join-us, and for more on the facilities, see www.dorsethealthcare.nhs.uk.