STAFF at Airedale Hospital are exceeding national accident and emergency department waiting time targets.

Latest figures show that 97 per cent of people were seen within four hours during the first fortnight of this month.

The NHS target is 95 per cent.

Earlier this year, hospital bosses apologised to patients who were facing long waits in A&E due to a surge in demand.

Emergency departments across the country struggled during the winter due to unprecedented numbers seeking treatment.

The percentage of people seen within four hours between October and December last year at Airedale was 94.5.

And the total number of A&E admissions rose from 12,777 in the last quarter of 2013 to 13,055 last year.

Stacey Hunter, director of operations at Airedale NHS Foundation Trust, said this week: "We continue to be busy both in our Emergency Department and on our wards, but patients who need to be admitted are not as poorly as they were during the winter months and are able to go home sooner.

"We have also extended our winter schemes and continued with our winter plan for longer, which has helped to support emergency and urgent care services for our patients.

"We would also like to thank staff, who continue to do a great job in busy circumstances, for all for their support."

The extension of the winter programme means the hospital has been able to keep more beds open and has had greater capacity to cope.

"We are able to see more people quicker and that is good news for local patients," said a spokesman.

Other hospitals in the district are also faring well.

Latest statistics show that Bradford Royal Infirmary's A&E department also saw 97 per cent of patients within four hours.

It adds that the hospital is continuing to see high volumes of people attending the unit.