WARDS at the Royal Bolton Hospital have now re-opened following an outbreak of the winter vomiting virus.

But two intermediate care homes, which care for people too ill to be in a residential home but not sick enough to be in hospital, have been forced to isolate patients after they were struck down by the virus.

One patient has been placed in isolation at Darley Court in Shepherd Cross Street, Bolton, and two in Winifred Kettle in Leigh Road, Westhoughton. Both the intermediate care homes are run by Bolton Primary Care Trust.

Graham Munslow, health protection specialist for the PCT, said: "These facilities are not closed to new admissions. Those affected by the virus have been placed in isolation."

Bosses had been forced to close one ward, C2, to new admissions, and keep another under close observation after patients and staff were struck down with suspected norovirus.

The closed ward re-opened on Friday.

A total of 14 patients and four members of staff were struck down by the bug in the latest outbreak, which closed the ward for almost a week.

Patients on a second ward, medical unit B4, also showed signs of the bug and bosses were closely monitoring it.

Between December 21 and Christmas Eve, the coronary care unit at the hospital was closed to new admissions after three patients and two members of staff were struck down with the bug.

A respiratory ward, D3, was also closed to new patients because of the virus between Christmas Eve and New Year's Eve after 10 patients and four staff became ill.