A disabled man unable to walk has been forced to leave hospital after his bed was invaded by ants.

Andrew Gates was whisked to Whipps Cross Hospital, Leytonstone in an ambulance in July, the pain from his long-term back condition having flared up and become unbearable.

The 53-year-old Loughton resident was assessed and booked in for surgery at Stanmore Royal National Orthopaedic Hospital (RNOH) in Brockley Hill.

But with his pain levels rising and the condition rendering him unable to walk, Mr Gates was devastated to hear that the operation had been cancelled and rescheduled.

As Mr Gates lay waiting for the operation, ants began to appear on his bed and the side table.

Then the BT worker developed an abscess, which was removed in time for the follow-up operation.

Wife Debbie Gates, 54, said: "The Whipps Cross consultant said the back operation could then go ahead, but by then Stanmore had already cancelled it and we did not know why.

"Then they offered him a day in September because the surgeon was going on holiday for three weeks and can't do the operation before then.

"While he has been in their ants have started climbing onto his bed.

"It is not right."

With the surgery delayed again, the couple had to cancel an expensive two-week trip to Rhodes in Greece they had already paid for.

Now, despite the fact he is unable to walk and requires two large doses of morphine each day, Mr Gates has been told to go home.

Mrs Gates added: "He is in extreme pain, he can't walk and he is registered disabled.

"I am the main care giver but I can't properly move him.

"We have just bought a wheelchair but it doesn't work inside the house, which is not set up properly for him.

"He could be getting worse and they are trying to discharge him.

"It is not good enough."

A spokesperson for Barts Health NHS Trust, which runs Whipps Cross, offered an apology to the couple but confirmed its decision to ask Mr Gates to leave the hospital.

They said: "We are aware RNOH has postponed Mr Gates’ operation on three occasions and we apologise if he feels there has been insufficient communication about this.

"We will work with our staff and RNOH to improve our communication with patients in future.

"Mr Gates is now well enough to return home so we have worked closely with him and his family to prepare, including making sure they have all the medication needed to manage his condition.

‘We are very sorry there were ants on our ward. Many of our buildings pre-date the NHS and we work very hard to keep them free of unwanted visitors.

"This matter was immediately reported to pest control who visited the ward and are managing the issue in line with our robust procedures to keep our patients safe and our environment clean."