THESE images show what a state-of-the-art radiotherapy unit in Worcestershire could look like.

The unit due to open at Worcestershire Royal Hospital in 2014 will mean patients no longer face gruelling journeys to Wolverhampton and Cheltenham for radiotherapy when they are fighting cancer.

Work is also under way to staff the unit with radiography, physics, nursing and administrative and clerical staff. Work will also mean an extra 200 car parking spaces at the hospital.

Paul Crawford, aged 70, of Highfield Close, Droitwich had to travel to Cheltenham for radiotherapy after he developed cancer in his throat which then spread to his tonsils.

Given the all-clear in December 2006, Mr Crawford, who travelled an estimated 3,000 miles in six weeks for the treatment, is a staunch campaigner for strong cancer services in Worcestershire.

He said: “I’m over the moon to see the vision of what this could look like. All of a sudden, my dream is coming true.”

Mr Crawford said he was delighted to see contractors had already started work on the entrance and said the designs for the building looked ‘great’.

He said: “It’s quite impressive and no more than Worcester deserves.”

The full business case is also being developed and is due for sign-off at the end of September, ready for construction work to start on site in November.

Contractors arrived this week to start developing the access road and complete the drainage works ready for the new 401-space car park which will replace the current A&E car park where the radiotherapy centre will be sited.

The new car park is expected to be completed by the end of August with changes to the existing arrangements in place by October.

Work has begun to buy the medical equipment required for the centre – this includes three linear accelerators providing around 24,000 radiotherapy treatments a year, one CT simulator (to be used when planning treatment) and one digital X-ray (DXR) machine (used for the treatment of skin cancer).

It is thought the new unit will save future cancer patients one million miles of travel every year.

Plans to increase chemotherapy services in Worcester have been temporarily paused. Adel Makar, consultant urologist and lead cancer clinician for Worcestershire Acute Hospitals NHS Trust and Paul Elkin, Worcestershire oncology project director, have given a number of talks to community groups.