THE Duchess of Gloucester opened a new thoracic ward extension at Papworth Hospital on Saturday with help from 10-year-old Iona Tripp. Iona is the daughter of Claire Tripp, the hospital s director of nursing. The new, two-storey extension will double the

THE Duchess of Gloucester opened a new thoracic ward extension at Papworth Hospital on Saturday with help from 10-year-old Iona Tripp.

Iona is the daughter of Claire Tripp, the hospital's director of nursing.

The new, two-storey extension will double the number of thoracic day case beds to 14 and will increase the thoracic inpatient beds by nine, giving a total of 38.

The ward will treat patients who have chest complaints.

Meanwhile, The Duke of Gloucester was also due in the district yesterday, at celebrations to mark the Queen's official 80th birthday. The Queen turned 80 on April 21 and will celebrate her official birthday on Saturday.

The Duke was invited to a tea party at Cavendish Court retirement apartments in Sackville Way, Cambourne, and to lunch at The Red House Bupa Home in Ramsey.

In Cambourne, the Duke was due to plant a commemorative tree in the gardens before being invited to have afternoon tea with more than 80 owners and guests in the specially erected marquee.

Owners who will be meeting the Duke of Gloucester will include Wendy Sewell, 82, who met Prince Charles in 1996 when she and her late husband, who worked for the Prince's Trust, attended a party at Highgrove, and Connie Bull, 70, who met several members of the Royal family when she served as a senior matron in the nursing branch of the RAF.

* Ramsey will mark the Queen's birthday celebrations on Saturday with an evening of family entertainment starting at 6.30pm in the Rainbow Surgery car park. The Ramsey Beacon will be lit at 7pm. See Choices starting on page 117.