A NEWPORT man whose life-saving operation was delayed because an intensive care bed was not available has finally undergone the vital surgery.

We reported on March 1 how 65-year-old John Podmore had already been waiting two weeks for the urgently-needed heart surgery.

A week later and he has finally had a triple bypass operation at the University Hospital of Wales Hospital in Cardiff.

"He has come through brilliantly," his wife Diane told the Argus yesterday. Before we left the hospital they had taken him off the ventilator, he had some sips of water and he could talk.

"I rang up this morning and they said he had had a comfortable night and they were hoping to transfer him to the high dependency unit."

It brought an end to a traumatic few weeks for the couple who were concerned Mr Podmore could suffer a heart attack while he was waiting for the operation.

"I just feel so relieved," said 62-year-old Mrs Podmore.

Her husband, who suffered a heart attack nine years ago and has angina, was told in the middle of February that a scan had revealed only ten per cent of his arteries were working properly.

He had to wait in Newport's Royal Gwent Hospital until an intensive care bed became available at the UHW.

Mrs Podmore found the situation distressing but stressed it was not due to the hospital staff.

"A lot of money is going into the health service but I don't know where it is going," she told the Argus.

"I would like to say how grateful we are to the nursing staff in both hospitals, especially the Royal Gwent which has saved my husband's life three times. They are doing such a lot of good."

She said they were also grateful to the Argus for highlighting their plight.