THOUSANDS of people will benefit from a new osteoporosis service at Hereford County Hospital.

The hospital has been awarded £87,860 by the National Osteoporosis Society (NOS) which will help to buy a new DXA scanner to measure the density of bones.

Currently patients from Herefordshire and Powys, many of them women, have to travel up to 80 miles for the scan, often to Abergavenny.

Martin Woodford, chief executive of the hospital trust, said: "Securing this funding from the NOS is fantastic news for our patients. The new equipment will mean that thousands will have faster access to scans closer home."