BATH Hospital Radio has been voted the best in the UK after scooping the top prize at the national hospital radio awards.

The station won the UK Station of the Year award for its service, which is broadcast 24 hours a day to the Royal United Hospital and the Royal United Hospital for Rheumatic Diseases.

It beat off competition from nearly 300 other stations to take home the £1,000 prize money at the award ceremony held in Glasgow earlier this month.

The volunteer-run station, which celebrates its 40th birthday in 2004, relies solely on fundraising to keep running.

Chairman of Bath Hospital Radio, Nigel Richards, said: "To win an award, placing Bath Hospital Radio as the best in the UK, is a great tribute to the work and enthusiasm of our volunteers.

"We try to ensure that programmes are professionally presented and focus on the hospital community, providing information, requests and favourite music. It is extremely rewarding for our services to be recognised at a national level."

The top ten requests made by patients at the RUH are, in order: Frank Sinatra; Gareth Gates; Cliff Richard; Chris De Burgh; Pavarotti; Robbie Williams; The Beatles; Glenn Miller; Elton John; and Barbara Streisand.