WINTER casualties have left Torbay Hospital full and patients with minor injuries being turned away to seek treatment elsewhere.

Hospital bosses are urging people with cuts, sprains, fractures or burns to go to community hospitals in Paignton and Brixham rather than Torbay.

The icy conditions just before the festivities saw a 30 per cent rise in workload and, as a result, yesterday there were no spare beds.

The hospital says its emergency department is only for life-threatening illness and major injuries and warned: "Staff will probably turn away anyone who can be treated at a minor injuries unit."

On Tuesday, there were more than 200 people in A&E and it was having to turn away people who came in 'inappropriately'. It says being full is not unusual as it normally operates at 95 per cent of capacity.

However, the hospital usually runs down its operations between Christmas and New Year to be able to deal with emergencies.

A spokesman said: "In common with the other main hospitals across Devon, we have been exceptionally busy since before Christmas.

"We admitted the equivalent of an extra ward-full of patients, 24 people, on one day alone just prior to Christmas due to the icy conditions.

"We are advising the public the accident and emergency department is only for emergencies, such as life-threatening illness and major injuries, and this is being reinforced by our staff who will turn away anyone who can be treated at a minor injuries unit."

On a busy day the hospital expects to admit around 60 patients through accident and emergency and the day before Christmas Eve it admitted 83 of the 277 people who went to the A&E department.

Normally the hospital would expect 180 emergency cases. Boxing Day was busy with 193 patients seen at A&E with 79 admitted.

"Like other hospitals we are still feeling the effects, with additional patients to be seen in clinic and returning for treatment, and some patients still in hospital because of the fractures they sustained before Christmas," said the spokesman.

The hospital says unless there is clearly an emergency situation, people could seek advice from NHS Direct, their GP, the out-of-hours doctor service, or pharmacist.

A Torbay Care Trust spokesman said: "We would ask people to consider carefully which NHS service is best suited to their needs to avoid any delay in receiving care or treatment."

GP practices across South Devon are closing for the New Year bank holiday and the out-of-hours service Devon Doctors is preparing to help patients. Patients with urgent medical problems can contact Devon Doctors direct on 0845 6710 270 or via their GP surgery, general medical advice is provided by the 24-hour service NHS Direct on 0845 46 47. Those with emergency medical problems should dial 999 or go to their nearest general hospital.