NHS staff rallied round to try to overcome the worst of the petrol crisis.

Staff offered to stay with friends, or even sleep over at hospitals in Kendal, Barrow and Lancaster, in a bid to conserve fuel and ensure they could get to work.

However, chief executive of Morecambe Bay Hospitals NHS Trust Ian Cumming said approximately 80 non-urgent adult operations would have been cancelled by tonight (Friday).

The surgery, for procedures like non-urgent hip replacements, or to repair hernias, was a casualty of the so-called bed blocking problem.

Social services departments had warned Mr Cumming that they probably would not be able to offer sufficient home care services for people ready to be discharged from hospital, and those patients had therefore not gone home, causing a bed shortage.

Day case and paediatric surgery, and out-patient services were largely unaffected.

However, day hospitals in Barrow, Kendal and Ulverston were shut because Cumbria Ambulance Service staff were diverted to other work and could not bring in patients.

Mr Cumming was very worried about the effect the disruption would have on waiting lists and times.

Cumbria Ambulance Service was able to continue its emergency and urgent services, but cancelled a small proportion of non-urgent work, including transport to the day hospitals.

The service was able to share its diesel supplies with staff like midwives and doctors, and other NHS organisations.

Bosses at the Bay Community NHS Trust said staff such as district nurses, health visitors, and occupational therapists, were prioritising their appointments, but had been able to see people with urgent problems.