Cancer patients at Wexham Park Hospital are receiving their chemotherapy in a bigger, brighter and more comfortable environment following a £440,000 expansion and refurbishment programme.

Slough's MP Fiona Mactaggart visited the new look Eden Day Unit on Friday to see for herself the result.

There are new chemotherapy pumps, televisions, water coolers, a quite area where patients can read, doze or chat quietly and a comfortable waiting area for relatives.

The unit is now more than twice its original size and its eight chemotherapy chairs have been replaced with 16 state-of the-art reclining seats which offer patients more comfort.

Former patients, staff and other guests watched as Miss Mactaggart unveiled a commemorative plaque, helped by lead consultant haematologist Dr Nicola Bienz.

The expansion took four months to complete, during which time the unit remained open.

The work was paid for by Frimley Health Charity and made possible thanks to a grant from The Kay Kendall Leukaemia Fund.

Dr Bienz said: “We first opened the Eden Day Unit at Wexham Park Hospital eight years ago, in less than half the space available to us today.

“It was a great improvement on the very small area we had previously, but still we soon outgrew it. Now we have this marvellous new day unit, which is thanks to the efforts of everyone involved."

The Eden Day Unit is used by around 25 patients each day, providing chemotherapy and complementary therapies for blood disorders and solid tumours such as breast cancer.

It is currently open Monday to Friday but there are plans to expand to weekend services.