A STOURPORT pensioner has been rushed to hospital with severe chest pains - on the day a date was finally set for his potentially life-saving heart by-pass operation.

Brian Garbett, 67, of Lombard Street was taken to Worcestershire Royal Hospital on Tuesday, less than a month after Wyre Forest Primary Care NHS Trust approved the operation.

Mr Garbett, who has already suffered eight heart attacks, had been waiting for a date to be set for his operation at Good Hope Hospital in Sutton Coldfield.

A date had been provisionally set for Friday, January 27 - but there were fears that might be too late.

Tests are being carried out to see whether the retired miner suffered a heart attack. The result was unknown as the Shuttle/Times & News went to press.

His wife, Jane Garbett, 61, said: "He's in hospital at the moment and I'm waiting for the results as to whether it was another heart attack.

"I'm just hoping he's going to be okay. We want to get to the operation so we can start living again," she added.

Mr Garbett has been appealing for months to have a biventricular operation, on the NHS, to insert electric wiring into his heart to make the top part work properly and to pump blood around the body.

His case was referred to PCT's complex case panel meeting in December, where his request was granted but, only days later, on Boxing Day, he suffered another heart attack and was re-admitted to hospital.

Speaking to Mr Garbett before he was admitted into hospital this week, he said: "I'm just living minute by minute at the moment as I never know when the pain will come next."

A spokesman for Good Hope Hospital said the provisional date for the operation had been set for January 27.

He added: "In light of the circumstances we will take advice from the cardiologist at Worcestershire Royal Hospital and view whether Mr Garbett is fit enough to have the operation."