A group of 50 Filipino nurses started work at a County Durham hospital on Friday.

The nurses have been recruited by the North Durham Health Care NHS Trust to work at the University Hospital of North Durham.

They have been in the North East for two weeks and have spent their time on Durham and NHS familiarisation courses.

Health bosses say they have been forced to recruit from the Philippines because of a worsening shortage of nurses in the UK.

Health bosses admit a recruitment crisis exists

Ken Haggerty, directorate manager for orthopaedics and plastic surgery at the hospital, said: "They will make a tremendous difference to our work in Durham.

"We have had a real recruitment problem for a number of years at the hospital.

"Having 50 highly-qualified nurses is going to make a big difference.

"We have given our new colleagues an insight into life in the North East and some of the customs and colloquialisms that they might find a bit confusing."

Nurse Rizel Flores said: "This first thing I noticed was the weather, it's a lot colder here than in the Philippines.

"We miss home, but we are able to adapt and have had a lot of friendly help from everyone in Durham."

Nurse Redolfo Catacutan Junior, added: "I have found the people here to be helpful and hospitable.

"It is quite a different way of nursing here. The equipment is much more hi-tech."