Children being admitted to Wrexham Maelor Hospital were cared for in a different unit until a bed was available.

A spokesman said yesterday: "Wrexham Maelor Hospital can confirm that new admissions to the Children's Ward were suspended for a period from late morning on Tuesday, July 3 as all available beds were full.

"As a result a number of children were cared for in the Ward's Assessment Unit until beds became available later in the day.

"No patients were turned away from the Ward or transferred from the A&E department.

"It is expected that the situation will be resolved this afternoon."

GPs were alerted to the problem and were given the option of referring patients elsewhere.

The spokesman added: "The Hospital did inform local GPs of the situation and to avoid delays GPs may have chosen to refer patients to neighbouring hospitals, although the Maelor Hospital has not been informed that this has happened."

He said the situation on the ward was made more difficult as a result of reduced staff.

"This is the result of the recent departure of a number of members of trained staff through promotion, retirement and obtaining jobs in other hospitals," he said.

"Although these posts are to be refilled, new staff have not yet been appointed."

A decision not to employ more agency nursing staff at a high cost, meant that not all the beds on the ward were fully operational.

The spokesman added: "As the summer months usually see a marked reduction in the number of admissions to the Children's Ward, the Trust had decided to avoid employing agency nursing staff (at considerable additional cost) to keep all beds on the ward fully operational.

"The level of demand for spaces on the Children's Ward will be kept under review to identify whether today's events have been an isolated incident or whether there is evidence of a sustained period of greater demand than usual."