Cable theft forces breast screening cancellations

Thieves have targeted the Humberside Breast Screening unit for the second time in two weeks

A cancer screening service has been forced to cancel hundreds of appointments after thieves stole electrical cables from a mobile medical unit overnight.

It is the second time in two weeks criminals have targeted the breast screening unit at Withernsea Hospital in East Yorkshire, staff said.

Karen Hallberg, superintendent radiographer for the service, said she was "appalled by what’s happened".

She said staff were working to reschedule appointments for those affected.

The theft happened overnight on Wednesday, causing a power outage and forcing screenings to be halted.

It follows a theft from the same unit which led to similar disruption on 23 November.

The Humberside Breast Screening Service is now contacting hundreds of women who had been due to attend appointments.

'Costly and disruptive'

Ms Hallberg said: “This is the second time in as many weeks that we’ve turned up to work ready to screen local women only to find the unit subject to a power outage because electrical cables have been stolen.

“The theft is not just costly and disruptive for us as a service, but it can also be really upsetting for those who are due to attend appointments as some people can get quite anxious in the run-up to screening.

“We’re appalled by what’s happened really; it’s upsetting for staff when they come to work to help people, and it’s upsetting for the people of Withernsea that the behaviour of one or two selfish individuals is now affecting their community in this way.”

Both thefts have been reported to Humberside Police who said investigations were ongoing and appealed for anyone with information to come forward.