I THOUGHT I should write and express my gratitude to all NHS staff and others who have treated me over the past few months, prior to, during and after my total hip replacement surgery.

I simply could not have had better treatment.

I’d had arthritis in both hips but particularly bad in the right one, for a couple of years and which was seriously interfering with my quality of life.

I finally gave a little ‘push’ to Culcheth Medical Centre to say it was becoming intolerable and they soon arranged an appointment for the orthopaedic department at Wolves.

They agreed that surgery was the only solution and referred me to clinician Mr Acharya, initially at Warrington in January.

Things soon began to ‘move’ quickly and I attended pre-op and also hip school at the Cheshire and Merseyside Treatment Centre in Runcorn.

I had my operation on April 9 and was discharged after four days. All staff, both nursing and auxiliary, were very pleasant, helpful and went about their work in a caring and professional way.

Within a week of leaving I was able to walk a quarter of a mile to my local shop and back again pain free.

I used only a basic paracetamol tablet per day for two weeks and that was it. Within four weeks I could walk without crutches. Six weeks on and I’m doing fine and am giving myself three months to be able to get back on my land speed/drag- race motorcycle and do some more runs at over 200mph.

I must also thank the Red Cross, their volunteers helped me with shopping for a couple of weeks and also community equipment for loan of certain household utensil.

All these great people have helped me in my recovery.

PETE WILLIAMS Culcheth