HEALTH Secretary John Reid has stepped in to help cancer survivor Bob Norburn in his battle for an NHS refund after he had to pay for an operation to save his own life.

The Bolton businessman spent more than '8,000 on an operation - which was his last chance of beating his bowel cancer - after being turned down for NHS funding.

Last week, Bolton health bosses who originally refused to pay for the operation agreed that Mr Norburn should get a refund, but it is still unclear who will foot the bill.

Now, Dr Reid has agreed to look into the case and make sure that the 57-year-old gets a refund - either from the hospital that treated him in Sunderland or from Bolton NHS.

Mr Norburn had staged a protest during Mr Reid's ministerial visit in Prest wich.

Dr Reid said: "I have already started looking into this and I can say that that this is a situation which will be resolved.

"I'm sorry that there has been some difficulty."

Mr Norburn said: "I have every reason to believe that this man will do the right thing." Tweet