A team of medics will be on hand to deal with any urgent care needs which may arise through DIY disasters or gardening mishaps over the extended holiday weekend, say bosses of East Lancashire Hospitals NHS Trust.

The centre has been open since November 1st and is in the same location as the former accident and emergency department.

A team of doctors, emergency nurse practitioners, emergency nurses, GPs and round-the-clock consultant cover is fully supported by pathology (blood testing) and X-ray facilities.

The centre can deal with a large spectrum of illnesses and injury and the presence of a GP after surgery hours - 7 p.m. to 11 p.m. weekdays and 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday) - means that the Urgent Care Centre is another port of call should a patient urgently need to see a GP.

Should the worst happen at Burnley's Urgent Care Centre and a patient's health deteriorates very quickly, the urgent care team can offer full emergency stabilisation until the quick transfer to the Emergency Department can be made.

Mr Declan Harte, assistant director of operations at the Trust, said: "Currently the Urgent Care Centre at Burnley is seeing more than 100 patients a day but we have enough capacity to see more.

"I understand there are concerns about where to go when you need emergency treatment but a rule of thumb is that if you live in or near Burnley and can get there yourself, please use the Burnley Urgent Care Centre. You will be seen more quickly than making an unnecessary journey to Blackburn.

"I think this message is especially important over the Easter period – people may use this extended weekend for some DIY or gardening and may find themselves needing urgent care so I would urge people to use their nearest urgent care centre to get fast treatment, close to their home."