A ward at Barnet General Hospital is at the centre of an outbreak of the superbug MRSA.

The bug has hit at least two patients on Cedar ward, and is extremely resistant to antibiotics. William Ennis, 82, had his leg amputated on Friday after it was infected.

The Liberal Democrats leader on Barnet Council, Councillor Jack Cohen called for an inquiry into the outbreak.

"What is making me anxious is that I am told the hospital consultants want to close that ward down completely but the hospital is refusing," he said.

A spokesman for the Wellhouse Trust confirmed 'more than two' patients had the MRSA infection on Cedar ward but said it was not clear where Mr Ennis had picked up the infection.

"There is a small group of patients on Cedar ward who have been infected, and they have been isolated from other patients to prevent any further spread," he said.

"MRSA is a common problem in all hospitals, and like them Barnet Hospital has infection control procedures which are put into operation when a patient is diagnosed as having MRSA."

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