A TIME bomb is ticking in the Gwent Valleys - where only six family doctors in one area are aged under 50, the Argus can reveal.

Many family doctors in the Valleys are ready to retire - but there is no-one to replace them.

Within five years, unless drastic action is taken, there could be only a handful of GPs practising.

In Blaenau Gwent, where there are 37 GPs, six are under 50 but almost a third are aged over 60 - and some have even come out of retirement to continue practising. The crisis is mainly because young doctors don't want to move to such a socially-deprived area, with so many chronic health problems, to work.

Dr Chris Godwin, (pictured) who started in general practice in Blaina six years ago, said less than 20 years ago there would be 100 or so applications for any "half-decent" GP post in the Valleys.

He says the situation is very different now - and the Valleys' reputation is putting doctors off.

He said: "Everyone knows about everyone and obviously they get to hear about what it is like working in different parts of the country."

Health experts are gravely worried by the situation and warn that doing nothing "is not an option". l