Bangor University sports facilities and Venue Cymru to become field hospitals

Two sites in North Wales will be converted into temporary field hospitals in the coming weeks to provide beds for patients with COVID-19 symptoms.

Around 250 additional beds will be made available to the NHS at Canolfan Brailsford as part of the partnership between the University and Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board.

Venue Cymru in Llandudno will also be converted to hold 350 beds in the coming weeks.

It comes after a number of Welsh politicians raised concerns about North Wales being ''overlooked'' for temporary hospital plans.

They called for urgent action from Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board to "provide clarity" on any plans for a field hospital.

Venue Cymru in Llandudno will hold 350 beds in the coming weeks. Credit: PA Images

Mark Polin, Chairman of Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board, said work to identify sites as field hospitals have been underway ''for some time''.

Work has begun on Llandarcy Academy of Sports and will hold up tp 340 beds. Credit: Swansea University Health Board

The health board said it will be seeking assistance from businesses in the coming weeks who have offered their help. Sites in Flintshire and Wrexham are also being looked as a third temporary hospital.

Work has started all over the country to create more field hospitals to help with the response to the virus.

The Principality Stadium, Parc y Scarlets in Llanelli and Bluestone National Park Resort are just some of the sites that will be become treatment or recovery centres.

Work has begun on the Scarlets training ground in Llanelli and on Friday 27 it was announced that the Principality Stadium in Cardiff will become a 2,000 bed temporary hospital.

Bay Studios on Fabian Way and Llandarcy Academy of Sports are also in the process of being converted to hold up to 1,340 beds.