A new state-of-the-art scanner for cancer patients has been opened at the Royal United Hospital, Bath.

The Forever Friends Appeal, the charity of the RUH, has raised £650,000 to buy the Gamma-CT scanner.

It was officially opened on Tuesday by Lady Gass, the Lord Lieutenant of Somerset.

John Cullum, chairman of the Forever Friends Appeal, said: “I continue to be amazed at the generosity of so many people. I would like to express my gratitude to each and every one.”

Martyn Evans, head of nuclear medicine at the RUH, said: “We are one of the only hospitals in the south west to have such a sophisticated scanner and we are grateful to the Forever Friends Appeal and their supporters who helped this to happen.”

The scanner was the first phase of the Forever Friends Appeal’s cancer care campaign.

It is now aiming to raise £5 million over the next four years towards the cost of building a £20.5 million cancer centre at the RUH.