MAJOR flood damage has affected two floors of a new hospital site in Ascot after a burst pipe went unnoticed for a full bank holiday weekend.

The pipe burst at the construction site for new Heatherwood Hospital building, which is yet to be made fully operational, and could result in a delay to opening.

It was confirmed earlier this week by NHS officials that the burst pipe was unchecked over the Bank Holiday Weekend in May, and was only stopped once the long weekend was finished and construction workers returned to the site.

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One source, who wished to remain anonymous, claimed that the damage left approximately two-feet deep flood water in the bottom two floors of the building.

However a spokesman for Frimley Health NHS Foundation Trust refuted the claim, and said that flood was "closer to two inches" in depth.

The spokesman did confirm, however, that the flooding did impact two floors in the four-storey building, and that bosses are now waiting on the results from a safety investigation before making further plans on when to officially open the site.

Once complete, the new NHS hospital will provide six top-of-the-range operating theatres, a range of outpatient services and up-to-date diagnostics in a superb new building set into woodland.

Ascot has been home to a hospital at Heatherwood for almost a century, but with ageing facilities its long-term future was in doubt as recently as five years ago.

A spokesman for Frimley Health NHS Foundation Trust said: "The new hospital at Heatherwood, which is currently being built by our construction partner Kier, will be a major asset for our community when it is completed in the next few months.

Bracknell News:

"In May, Kier informed us that a faulty heating pipe joint at the site in Ascot unfortunately caused water damage to the two lower floors – the remaining floors were not affected.

"The safety of our patients, visitors and staff is our absolute priority, so we are now working with Kier and other experts to assess the impact of the damage and ensure it is rectified.

"As part of our assessment we have conducted an extensive infection control review to ensure that potential hazards resulting from the leak have been completely eliminated.

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"We are still working through how any necessary additional work will affect our timelines for moving services across to the new hospital, and determining the best way to get the final stages of the project back on track.

"We are really looking forward to the opening of this fantastic new hospital, which will be one of the very best of its kind in the UK.

"We remain totally committed to delivering the superb services that our community deserves from the new building at the earliest opportunity, without compromising safety."

The site is currently anticipated to be fully functional by winter 2021, however it is not yet know if this timeline could be impactd as a result of water damage.