Plans to renovate three operating theatres and build a new one have been given new urgency at the Royal Sussex County Hospital in Brighton.

Hospital bosses have already made an application to the Government for £13 million to carry out the work.

In the meantime, two 35-year-old theatres will be closed over Christmas because of damage caused by a leaking water pipe.

It should not cause too much disruption because the Royal Sussex, like every other hospital, does not carry out many routine and non-emergency operations over Christmas.

But the closures do demonstrate the state of these old theatres, which already have floors in poor condition.

Electrical services are so outdated there is not even a system for back-up lights in case of failure.

If action is not taken, the Royal College of Surgeons may class these theatres as unfit for use, causing enormous problems for the hospital.

The Royal Sussex is one of the busiest hospitals on the South Coast and it is unacceptable that any of its operating theatres should be in such a poor state.

It might be worth inviting government officials, who have to make the decision about the money, down to Brighton to see their sorry state for themselves.