The first patient in the world to be back home within a day of having a double hip replacement operation is recovering well.

John Barnes, from Hastings, underwent his pioneering surgery at the Conquest Hospital, in St Leonards, last week.

Consultant orthopaedic surgeon Hugh Apthorp has been developing hip operations where patients are up and walking within hours of surgery but it is the first time he has undertaken a double operation.

Mr Barnes said: "I came into hospital with pain in both my hips and a day later I was home with two new hips and no pain it's terrific. The team at the hospital were superb.

"It is great to know I am the first in the world to leave hospital within a day of a double hip replacement operation.

"I expected to be sitting down most of the time or maybe walking on flat ground but I can water the garden and walk up and down the stairs.

"I think I'm very lucky to have been at the hospital at the right time."

Mr Apthorp makes a much smaller cut to do the operation, which means there is not as much tissue damage as there would be for an ordinary hip operation.

This means less blood, less pain and a shorter stay in hospital for the patient.

With a conventional operation, the patient usually stays in hospital for between five and seven days.

Mr Apthorp said: "We use an ultrasound to cut the tissues and that means there's very little bleeding and because there is little bleeding into the muscles, that reduces the pain.

"We don't have to give patients blood transfusions which is tremendously beneficial as well."

Mr Barnes will now be visited by a team to give him the physiotherapy and support he needs to speed up his recovery.

Mr Apthorp has performed 110 short-stay hip replacement operations in the past year.

He said: "Our patients have been incredibly positive about the service we can now offer them. This is a real first for the Conquest Hospital and great news for patients."