WHEN you are ripping open presents and tucking into your turkey this Christmas, spare a thought for the many Warrington Hospital employees who will be dealing with the town’s emergencies.

Staff working on the A&E department say they tend to only see ‘very sick’ patients on the morning of December 25 meaning it is often a day of mixed emotions.

For staff nurse Sarah Beckett working on Christmas day is perfectly normal as she has grown up with her policeman dad and mum, who works as a nurse, often missing out on festive fun on Christmas day.

Instead the Cinnamon Brow family throw a party on Christmas Eve and then have their Christmas dinner on Boxing Day.

The 22-year-old, who marked her first year in A&E last month, said: “At home we have never had Christmas dinner on the day so I look forward to Boxing day more and spending time with my nan and granddad.

“In the morning everybody wishes each other ‘Merry Christmas’ and there’s always someone trying to spread a bit of cheer.

“Christmas morning tends to be relatively quiet as you only tend to get properly poorly patients coming in and then later in the evening it’s more alcohol-related stuff.

“I’m broken-hearted when I see some patients come in and sometimes I’ll go home and have a little cry and then I’ll just have to get on with Christmas day.

“It’s a job that’s different everyday and it’s your colleagues who get you through it.”

Shifts start at 7.15am for staff and finish around 3.15pm but senior sister Diana O’Hara says employees know it is just part of the job.

The 48-year-old, who has been working at the hospital 30 years, added: “We’re dedicated to what we do and everybody knows we have to work on Christmas day.

“I have been doing it for 30 years and can count on one hand the number of Christmas days I’ve spent at home.

“I have got three kids so try to open the presents beforehand but then you’re always thinking you have got to go to work the next day and can’t drink or eat too much.

“A&E is the sort of place where you have got to leave it at the doorstep and move on to the next day. If you don’t you would go mad.”