Filipino nurses are to be recruited to fill the continuing vacancies at Worthing Hospital.

More than 60 posts still need filling despite a major recruitment drive launched in the summer.

In July, two wards had to closed because of the shortage of staff.

They were shut for four weeks but have since reopened.

Hospital bosses described the decision to shut the wards at the time as "drastic".

In addition to the 60 empty nursing posts there are still 30 vacancies for nursing assistants.

Hospital spokeswoman Pam Lelliott said the jobs needed to be filled before the busy winter period.

Last year patients had operations cancelled and had to wait on trolleys because there were not enough beds.

The Filipino nurses are expected to start in the next few weeks.

Mrs Lelliott said: "We still have a shortage of nurses and so have cast our net far and wide.

"We have had some success in recruiting nurses from the Philippines."

In recent months the hospital has tried various methods to attract more nurses.

An improved pay structure and more flexible hours were among the ideas introduced.

Last year the staff shortage helped put extra strain on the trust which runs the hospital. It was £4 million pound in the red.

Worthing and Southlands NHS Trust had hoped it would end the year only £3.8 million over budget.

But it spent £300,000 more than expected over Christmas and the New Year during the flu crisis.

In the past hospital chiefs have recruited in Australia and South Africa to fill the nursing gap.