Exmouth was the first town to be visited by a new monthly mobile eye clinic set up by the NHS. It is hoped a greater number of patients can be treated under the new scheme

Exmouth has been the first Devon town to be visited by a new mobile eye clinic service launched by the Royal Devon and Exeter Hospital.

The scheme began earlier this week and monthly clinics will be held every Monday in the Estuary car park.

Eye patients have welcomed the new mobile clinic, saying it will make life easier to attend appointments.

Patient Patrick Williams, 47, from Exmouth, said: “It will make it so much easier for me to attend appointments for check ups because I live in Exmouth but run my carpet business in Honiton.

“This mobile clinic will give me the option of being seen by the hospital team in either town.

“I think the nurses going through training to pass their driving licence so they can get the lorry out and about is testimony to their commitment to what they do and wanting to provide the best care to their patients.”

The new �300,000 clinic went on the road on Monday.

It is hoped a greater number of hospital eye patients can be treated under the new scheme.

Specialist nursing team Jane Kingett, Rachel Garratt and Jess Sanders all volunteered to train for their HGV licence to drive the 12-tonne mobile clinic.